Kaibab National Forest

As part of the continuing effort to provide forest users as much safe access as possible to areas on the North Kaibab Ranger District, the Forest Service has again reduced the Mangum Fire closure near Jacob Lake.  Although Forest Roads 462 and 461 must remain closed for public safety, Forest Roads 22 and 423 have been opened with short-term closures possible if weather conditions warrant. 

This week, National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) fire managers, working together as the North Zone Interagency Fire Management Program, plan to begin conducting pile burns north of the Grand Canyon.  Hand piles composed of woody debris are located near the NPS developed zone at the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park as well as around Big Saddle, Demotte, and Jacob Lake on USFS administered lands.

With increased winds and very little precipitation persisting throughout northern Arizona, conditions in the Coconino and Kaibab national forests remain extremely dry and necessitate Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in place for the next several weeks or until significant moisture is received.

Forest fuel moistures across northern Arizona are currently at record lows, and windy conditions continue to further dry out the forest.

Due to the ongoing warm weather and below-average rainfall in recent months, Stage 1 Fire Restrictions will remain in effect on the Kaibab National Forest.  Under Stage 1 Restrictions the following acts are prohibited:

A significant portion of the Mangum Fire closure has been reopened to the public.  The Kaibab National Forest has lifted some road closures as well as the nearly 80,000-acre area closure that spanned the northernmost part of the North Kaibab Ranger District. 

Coconino County will reinstate Stage One fire restrictions on private lands in the unincorporated areas of the County in coordination with similar actions by the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests and other agencies in the area. Fire restrictions are effective Friday, August 14 at 8:00 AM.

Due to lack of monsoon precipitation and key criteria being met for restrictions, the Coconino and Kaibab national forests will enter Stage 1 campfire and smoking restrictions Friday (Aug. 14) at 8 a.m. The goal of the fire restrictions is to protect public health by reducing the number of preventable human-caused wildfires.

The 97 acre Halfway Fire on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest has shown no additional growth and is not expected to increase in size. This lightning caused fire did make an impressive run on August 3, however an aggressive initial attack plan was promptly initiated and suppression efforts proved successful in stopping the spread that same day.

The Halfway Fire which was ignited by a lightning strike on the Tusayan Ranger District over the weekend grew to 97 acres on Monday, however a combination of initial attack resources including aircraft, hand crews, engines and a dozer working steadily throughout the day and were able to stop forward progress of the fire by early that evening.

Fire crews from the Kaibab National Forest, Tusayan Fire Department, and Grand Canyon National Park responded to a wildfire Monday morning about 3 miles southeast of the town of Tusayan. The 50 acre lightning caused "Halfway Fire" was discovered by local aircraft and most likely started the day before from a passing thunderstorm.

Multiple resources have been working on the fire Monday including a helicopter, a dozer, 3 engines and miscellaneous overhead. Additional resources have been ordered to assist from neighboring forests and are expected to arrive later today.