smoke

With the arrival of significant precipitation to the Kaibab Plateau, fire managers on the North Kaibab Ranger District of Kaibab National Forest plan to conduct pile burn operations starting tomorrow and continuing periodically throughout the winter as conditions and staffing allow. The piles are the result of mechanical thinning projects designed to help forest restoration efforts, and the goal of burning them is to further reduce fuels that could feed high-intensity wildfire.

Fire managers on the Bradshaw Ranger District plan to burn on Wednesday, November 13th through Friday, November 15th.  All burning will be dependent on appropriate current and expected weather conditions to achieve the desires fire effects. Fire managers plan to complete only one of the two burns listed below and will determine on Tuesday which burn will occur. While daytime wind direction is difficult to predict at this time, night time and early morning smoke impacts are expected to occur in low lying areas which will include Prescott, Thumb Butte, Copper Basin, Groom Creek and Walker.

As the weather continually changes this time of year, Coconino National Forest firefighters make plans to conduct prescribed burns and also alternate plans to focus on burns at locations where weather changes may help mitigate smoke impacts.

Fire crews have successfully treated 8152 acres of forested landscape over the past 4 days bringing the Elk / Lee Prescribed Fire Project to full completion.

Coconino National Forest firefighters were planning to conduct prescribed burns today near the Fort Valley area and other areas north of Flagstaff later during the week, but those plans have been cancelled today due to unhealthy smoke impacts in Flagstaff and predicted northerly winds.

Wildland firefighters are responding with ground crews and multiple engines to a wildfire in the Schultz Pass between Mt. Elden and the San Francisco Peaks.

The Hill Fire, last reported at 2 acres and growing, was reported just after 3 p.m. today by members of the public who called in a smoke report.

Smoke will be visible from Flagstaff and other local communities. The public should use extreme caution when driving on U.S. Highway 180 north of Flagstaff as firefighting vehicles and personnel will be using the highway to respond.

A one day prescribed fire operation is scheduled to occur on Saturday Oct 5 on the Williams Ranger District approximately 6 miles northwest of the community of Spring Valley. Aerial ignitions will be used to ignite an 1872 acre unit of the Marteen Prescribed fire project. This burn is expected to be completed in one operational period.

Since the wind event that occurred last weekend, fire managers have been implementing a plan to stop the growth of the 11,000-acre Ikes Fire, which is located on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

Due to consecutive days of strong, gusty winds and below normal moisture over recent weeks, fire activity has increased again on the southwestern edge of the Ikes Fire, which is located on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

Fire managers on the Whiskey Fire have will be using a helicopter to perform aerial ignitions to supplement the efforts of firefighters conducting hand ignition burnouts today which will produce large volumes of smoke going northeast.