Kaibab National Forest

Kaibab National Forest fire managers will be continuing work on the Reed Prescribed Fire project located on the Tusayan Ranger District beginning Monday, October 25. Crews will broadcast burn a low intensity 228-acre block on the upper Ten X Unit of the Reed Prescribed fire project located 3 miles east of the Town of Tusayan.

Fire managers on the Kaibab National Forest are planning for the 2021 fall and 2022 spring prescribed fire burning season that is expected to begin in October of this year. 

A final decision on which units will be ignited will be made based on environmental conditions, resource availability, fuel moisture levels, air quality and forecast weather as outlined in the prescribed fire plan.

The following project areas are planned for treatments on the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts: 

As monsoon season comes to an end and the Forest Service has conducted clean-up operations, some roads affected by flash flooding are reopening in the Mangum Fire area. The following roads are now fully open but remain subject to closure for public safety during periods of inclement weather:

Significant moisture received over the past month has created ideal conditions to allow fuels reduction work to continue on the Kaibab National Forest using prescribed fire and pile burning methods as fall and winter approaches.

Due to monsoonal activity and heavy rainfall across most of the forests, the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests will rescind all fire restrictions as of 6 a.m. Friday, July 16. The Kaibab NF will also lift the Bill Williams Mountain closure.
 

A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team was established to begin a burned area assessment of the Rafael wildfire. BAER assessments are rapid evaluations of the burned area to identify unacceptable risks on National Forest Service (NFS) lands from post-fire threats and assist land managers in preparing the burned area prior to the first damaging weather event. The team’s focus is on the emergency actions necessary to protect life and safety, property and critical natural and cultural resources on NFS lands.

A Type 3 Incident Command Team led by Incident Commander Troy Mueller, assumed management of the Rafael Fire today at 6 a.m. Crews continued with mop up, patrol and suppression repair work.

Today, crews will continue to patrol and mop up around the fire to secure the perimeter. Interior areas of the fire are expected to continue to burn and there may be smoke visible as these areas continue to burn. The Burned Area Emergency Response team is in place and is continuing assessing burn severity over the entire fire.

For information on evacuation status,and fire activity,there will be a virtualcommunity meeting every day at 6 p.m. until furthernotice, on the Incident Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RafaelFireInfo/ 

The Coconino National Forest is still working to contain the Slate Fire, which is located along Highway 180 and has grown to 2,000 acres.

The fire originated on June 7 approximately 23 miles northwest of Flagstaff on the west side of U.S. Highway 180, adjacent to the Kaibab National Forest. It is currently moving in a northeast direction.

The Coconino National Forest is responding to the 20-plus-acre Slate Fire located in the northern part of the Flagstaff Ranger District near Highway 180 and the border of the Kaibab National Forest.

Roughly 50 personnel -- including four engines, two crews, a water tender and a dozer -- have been dispatched to the fire.

Traffic along Highway 180 may be affected.

The fire was called in at about 4 a.m. and the cause is still under investigation.