Prescribed burns planned around Flagstaff January 28-31, 2025
Area fire managers plan to continue work on local prescribed fire projects – including broadcast burning and pile burning – next week while northern Arizona’s wind and weather conditions remain favorable to do so.
Arizona State Department of Forestry and Fire Management and Coconino National Forest fire managers aspire to continue work on this week’s Crater Sinks prescribed burn project located roughly 12 miles southwest of Flagstaff.
Additionally, Coconino National Forest fire managers hope to begin work on pile burns located in various locations around the Flagstaff Ranger District.
Should wind and weather conditions become unfavorable, ignitions will be halted and project plans will be postponed, changed or canceled.
The Coconino National Forest uses the Coconino NF Prescribed Burn Projects InciWeb page to relay last-minute project changes with the public.
Prescribed burns are always dependent upon multiple conditions, including personnel availability, fuel conditions, weather and approval from the Arizona Department of Environment Quality. Prescribed burns may be changed or canceled last-minute if burn conditions do not meet criteria outlined in advance.
Crater Sinks (West Fork)
- Dates: Jan. 28-31
- Location: 8 miles west of Kachina Village, roughly 12 miles southwest of Flagstaff.
- Size: Roughly 1,055 acres total in addition to the 1,700 acres treated this week.
- Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn. Broadcast burning means firefighters will spread the fire across the landscape using drip torches, effectively 'broadcasting' the fire with low intensity across the landscape. Maintenance burns usually mean wildfire has recently been through the area, which tends to mean less smoke since forest fuels will not be as thick or built up over time.
- Smoke Impacts: Smoke will likely be noticeable from Flagstaff, Sedona, Oak Creek and Verde Valley areas. There may potentially be smoke impacts to state Route 89A, Interstate 17 and Interstate 40.
- Why: This prescribed burn will reduce hazardous fuels in the area. By reducing hazardous fuels, such as pine litter and dried needlecast, during times of cooler weather and lower winds, fire managers can create a buffer zone to safeguard communities and infrastructure from the risk of catastrophic wildfire during peak wildfire season.
- Notes: No formal closure orders will be issued, but members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area.
Flagstaff Ranger District pile burns
Coconino National Forest fire managers plan to begin pile burns as soon as weather conditions are suitable.
While fire managers will not conduct work on the following project all at once, fire managers will begin work next week on the following projects as conditions allow.
Upcoming pile burn work is planned early next week for the following locations:
- Willard Pit (Near the junction of Interstate 17 and Willard Springs Road)
- Snowbowl Road (Along Snowbowl Road 2 miles north of U.S. Route 180)
- White Horse Pit (Near the junction of Hart Prairie Road and Freedline Drive)
Smoke Impacts
Fire managers take air quality concerns seriously and seek to minimize smoke impacts to the greatest extent possible. Despite the benefits of prescribed burns, we are aware that members of the community can be sensitive to the smoke produced. We coordinate closely with partners to keep communities informed about projects and potential smoke, as well as try to mitigate impacts to communities as much as possible. One tool to use to track air quality and smoke impacts is fire.airnow.gov.
A new Smoke Complaint Hotline has been established for the public at 928-226-4608 for the public to leave their name and number if they would like to speak to fire leadership regarding smoke impacts and prescribed burn concerns.