Prescribed burn planned near Lava River Cave

Coconino National Forest fire managers are planning a prescribed burn treatment approximately 14 miles northwest of Flagstaff this week to aid forest restoration in areas west of U.S. Highway 180 and Arizona Snowbowl.

The Horseshoe-Wild Bill project is slated to begin Wednesday through Thursday (11/3-4) and will be burned in two blocks that total 510 acres when complete. Due to this project being an initial entry burn, smoke will be very visible to those in northern Arizona near Flagstaff.

Wednesday brings predicted northeast winds, which will likely result in smoke impacts to Parks, Bellemont, Camp Navajo, and Interstate 40 near those areas. Southwest winds are predicted for Thursday, which means smoke will move toward the northeast and impact Highway 180 near the burn.

There are no closures associated with this burn treatment, and Arizona Department of Transportation will be on site to determine if smoke impacts along Highway 180 merit any lane closures or restrictions.

Prescribed burns are always dependent upon weather and wind conditions, as well as approval from Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The public can view approved prescribed burns on ADEQ’s website at smoke.azdeq.gov. Coconino National Forest projects (Burn Number) begin with the designator “COF.”

For more information on why prescribed burns are conducted and how they benefit the landscape and help protect communities, please visit our Prescribed Fire and Forest Health web page.
 
Notifications of upcoming prescribed burns are provided regularly by news releases throughout the season and by the following online resources:
Coconino NF’s Twitter account: www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF
Coconino NF’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/coconinonf