Fire managers on the Kaibab National Forest will be conducting prescribed pile burns throughout the 2025 winter season as conditions safely allow. Winter is often the ideal time for crews to burn piles of slash and woody debris left over from forest thinning projects because colder temperatures and snow help moderate fire behavior and keep it from spreading beyond the piles. Approximately 2,190 acres of piles on the Tusayan Ranger District, 5,500 acres on the Williams Ranger District, with additional acres of piles on the North Kaibab Ranger District are slated for burning this season.

Arizona State Department of Forestry and Fire Management and Coconino National Forest fire managers plan to take advantage of current weather conditions and begin work on a highly visible prescribed burn project southwest of Flagstaff starting tomorrow.

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.

Fire managers plan to continue prescribed fire operations on the Lakeside Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests beginning January 15 through January 17, 2025, as weather and vegetation conditions allow for successful operations.

The Marsh Polishing Ponds 3 & 4 prescribed broadcast burn contains 9.31 acres, and is located directly north of Show Low, Arizona and southwest of Pintail Lake,  The project units are located west along State Route 77 and south of National Forest Road 9701M.  The project is a cooperative effort with the City of Show Low.

Fire Managers on the Bradshaw Ranger District plan to take advantage of the fall-like conditions and burn piles of debris in and around the Prescott Basin. (See the map below.) Ignitions are planned to start on Tuesday, November 12, and continue through the end of the year as favorable weather conditions allow. Fire managers expect smoke impacts to be light and visible from multiple locations including Prescott, Chino Valley, and surrounding areas. Pile burning helps to reduce hazardous fuels in the wildland urban interface and increases ecosystem and community resilience.

Fire managers on the Prescott National Forest plan to conduct prescribed burning in the Prescott Basin on the Bradshaw Ranger District south of Prescott, Arizona.  Ignitions are planned to start Friday, November 1, and continue into early next week depending on weather conditions and resource availability.  

The Goldwater RX is located east of Highway 89 and Ponderosa Park Road; west of School House Gulch Road; north of Marapai Road; and west of Goldwater Lake. Resources will remain on scene to monitor and patrol in the days following the prescribed burn.

With forecasted moisture expected to arrive by the weekend ahead, fire managers on the Williams Ranger District are hopeful to burn and consume the woody debris pile at the Moonset Pit green waste disposal site near the community of Parks on Friday October 18.