Arizona Emergency Information Network

Small nonfarm businesses in four Arizona counties and a neighboring county in California are now eligible to apply for low‑interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought in the following primary county that began Nov. 12.

Primary Arizona county:  Yuma;

Neighboring Arizona counties:  La Paz, Maricopa and Pima;

Neighboring California county:  Imperial.

When farmers face crop losses and a disaster is declared by the Secretary of Agriculture, SBA working capital loans become a lifeline for eligible small businesses. “These loans are the backbone that helps rural communities bounce back and thrive after a disaster strikes,” Sánchez said.

“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disaster and businesses directly impacted by the disaster,” Sánchez continued.

Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

“Eligibility for these loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent for businesses and 3.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations, a maximum term of 30 years and are available to small businesses and most private nonprofits without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” Sánchez added.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the initial disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

By law, SBA makes Economic Injury Disaster Loans available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. The Secretary declared this disaster on Nov. 18.

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance in drought disasters.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to apply for economic injury is July 18, 2025.

Fire managers plan to continue prescribed fire operations on the Lakeside Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests beginning November 20 through November 22, 2024, as weather and vegetation conditions allow for successful operations.

The 260 burn unit is 796 acres and is 2 miles west of Linden, Arizona, and 3 miles east of Pinedale.  The project unit is within Forest Road 143C, Forest Road 9810R, Forest Road 143D, Forest Road 9809L, Forest Road 143, and Forest Road 9810T.

This landscape treatment is a cooperative effort with Arizona Game and Fish Department, Timber Mesa Fire Department, Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, and Clay Springs Fire Department. 

The objective of this prescribed fire project is to reduce hazardous fuel accumulations, minimize the risk of high-severity wildfires, and return the landscape to a more fire-resistant condition, aligning with the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The Forest Service's 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy aims to reduce wildfire risk to people, communities, and natural resources while sustaining and restoring healthy, resilient fire-adapted forests. 

Smoke may be visible from the City of Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside, Communities of Pinedale, and Clay Springs and along Highways 60 and 260.  Smoke could last for several days after initial ignitions take place, but should be significantly less each day afterwards.  We recognize that smoke can impact residents, visitors, and our fire personnel. We will continue to coordinate closely with our partners and communities to minimize smoke impacts as much as possible.

The department’s Air Quality Division: Smoke Management webpage provides details about its air quality program. When smoke impacts are present, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality recommends that smoke sensitive individuals should reduce physical activity and stay indoors with windows and doors closed. For those who are unable to avoid smoke exposure, use of a particulate-filtering respirator mask can help. Real-time mapping of smoke and other air quality impacts is available at fire.airnow.gov.  

Visit the A-S National Forests website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs.

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Fire managers with the Coconino National Forest continue to monitor burn piles of slash along Snowbowl Road that continue to smolder and be consumed. These piles continue to produce smoke which may be noticeable to people in the immediate area and will likely increase through the week.

Burning these piles, left over from timber treatments, effectively removes them as a forest fuel. The piles are located about 3 miles up Snowbowl Road (approx. 7.5 miles northwest of Flagstaff), and smoke from these pile burns is expected to increase in the next few days as the piles consume and creep together.

Smoke may impact areas such as Fort Valley and Baderville through Friday and possibly Saturday. Visitors using Snowbowl Road should be aware and use caution as Forest Service personnel and vehicles will be out through the end of the week along Snowbowl Road in the area of the pile burn.

The saguaro cactus is a centuries-old icon of Arizona’s landscape, having appeared in more movies than actor John Wayne. Placement of the cactus in cartoons such as the “Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote” imprinted the saguaro on generations of impressionable young viewers.

These jolly green giants of the Sonoran Desert reach heights of 40 to 60 feet and can weigh between two and three tons. Saguaros stand as large green pillars atop the dusty landscape, welcoming visitors with open “arms”.

However, as a native plant in the Sonoran Desert, saguaros did not evolve in a fire-adapted ecosystem. With wildfires growing in size, duration, and destructivity in the Sonoran Desert over the past 40 years, more and more saguaros are dying.

Saguaros’ vulnerability to wildfires was highlighted in the summer of 2020 when a burning vehicle ignited the Bush Fire on the Tonto National Forest. Between June 13 and July 6, the fire scorched 193,455 acres on the forest’s Mesa and Tonto Basin Ranger Districts in the Four Peaks Area. As it grew into the fifth largest wildfire in state history, the Bush Fire burned an estimated 80,000 saguaros.

Four years later, Tonto staff such as Drew Ullberg and Bec Veerman remain undaunted as they continue to explore creative ways to obtain and replant saguaros in the Bush Fire burn scar. 

 

“It involves partnering and collaborating with nurseries, local businesses and soliciting federal funding,” said Veerman, the south zone partnerships and volunteer coordinator

on the Tonto. “It includes hosting meetings and engaging with non-profit organizations like the National Forest Foundation and Natural Restorations to aid in replanting

saguaros in the burn scar.”

Good fortune smiled on the Tonto during restoration planning with Arizona Wholesale Growers.

“The company experienced its own fire that damaged 80 saguaros,” Veerman said. “They no longer could sell those saguaros and graciously donated them to us.

“We also were fortunate to salvage saguaros and other cacti from the Bureau of Land Management outside of Wickenburg (Arizona) in 2021,” Veerman added.

Ullberg, the forest biologist on the Tonto, saw the devastation firsthand during his post-fire visit to the burn scar.

“As the fire ripped through the area, some burned saguaros died instantly,” Ullberg said. “Others lived an additional two or three years from stored water in the cacti before eventually dying.”

Forest Service staff removed unharmed arms from these saguaros and placed the arms in a nursery where they received necessary nutrients to promote growth of new roots.

“If all goes well, the arms are replanted in or around the same location prior to the fire,” Veerman said. “And they have a 20- to 30-year head start compared to saguaros grown from seeds.”

Following his site visit, Ullberg initiated conversations with colleagues in Tucson, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and researchers at New York University to brainstorm ways to execute medium- to large-scale desert restoration.

“By making friends with researchers, we now have people that are funded through various Forest Service means who monitor and evaluate the land after wildfires,” Ullberg continued.

“Replacing roughly 80,000 saguaros and other native plants will be an arduous task,” Ullberg said. “The Bush Fire wasn’t the first, nor will it be the last, fire to affect the Sonoran Desert’s ecosystem. It seemed logical to organize a group such as a ‘saguaro summit’ or ‘cactus club’, to tap into different areas of expertise and strategize how to replant saguaros and other native species within the burn scar.”

In 2021, he opened a dialogue with Forest Service colleagues in the Southwest Region located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“I emphasized the plight of the Sonoran Desert due to wildfires and the importance of saguaros to the desert’s ecosystem,” Ullberg said.

Advocacy was reflected in the Southwest Region’s March 2022 strategic plan entitled “Looking 20 Years into the Future”.  One of the document’s objectives is recovering the Sonoran Desert and increasing the saguaro population to the level that sustains the ecosystem.

Tonto staff also applied for and received funding for the Bush Fire restoration project from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. This law invests about $5.5 billion in lands and resources entrusted to the Forest Service, including many of the landscapes and watersheds we manage together with our federal, tribal, state, private and other partners.

Of the $5.5 billion, the Forest Service is investing about $3 billion over a five-year period to reduce the risk of wildland fire and restore ecosystems.

Ullberg also was involved in finalizing a recently signed agreement between the Tonto and Desert Botanical Garden wherein the Phoenix-based garden will custom grow saguaros from locally sourced seeds.

“The targeted goal is to grow 10,000 or more cacti by 2028 and replant them in the burn scar,” Ullberg said.

Succulent support from friends

A variety of organizations aid the Tonto’s replanting efforts. Among them is Natural Restorations, an Arizona-based nonprofit organization that works with veterans to revitalize natural areas.

Co-founded by Justin and Nicole Corey, Natural Restorations launched a replanting program in November 2020 following the Bush Fire and started replanting various cacti – including saguaros – in the burn scar in May 2021.

The program evolved into the ‘Save Our Saguaros” restoration project that also includes the National Forest Foundation, Wells Fargo, Four Peaks Brewing Company and the Tonto’s Mesa Ranger District.

Natural Restorations held its 5th annual Save Our Saguaros replanting event and Veterans Day celebration on Nov. 9. Approximately 150 volunteers replanted 100 saguaros in the burn scar, raising the program’s total to 2,283 replanted saguaros. The organization’s own Dedicated Restoration Team also has replanted nearly 5,000 other cacti -- such as hedgehog, barrel and cholla as well as native plants such as ocotillo -- in the burn scar.

Plans are underway for Natural Restorations to conduct more saguaro replanting events in March and April 2025.

“Natural Restorations and its team of veterans have been, and continue to be, the biggest contributor regarding replanting saguaros in the Bush Fire burn scar,” Veerman said. “Natural Restorations is an incredible partner!”

In summer 2022, the Arizona Lottery funded the Goldfield Fire Center’s Cactus Nursery on the Tonto. The nursery provides a safe environment for salvaged saguaros and other native cacti conditioned for restoration within the burn scar. It is part of Arizona Lottery’s ‘Gives Back’ sponsorship program that, in turn, is in partnership with the National Forest Foundation’s ‘Save Our Saguaros’ conservation initiative.

The Four Peaks Brewing Company formally adopted the Bush Fire burn area and has donated thousands of dollars to the National Forest Foundation to aid the restoration project. Additionally, staff periodically water replanted saguaros as needed when the burn scar receives little rainfall.

“We’ve also had Boy Scouts assist in replanting other cacti in the burn scar, such as cholla and prickly pear,” Veerman said. “It’s truly uplifting to coordinate and work with diverse groups interested in helping the Forest Service restore the burn scar.”

Even with public support, Veerman and Ullberg acknowledge that reintroducing saguaros to levels prior to the Bush Fire will take several years. The timeline is partially dependent on whether replanted saguaros fully take root in the Sonoran Desert that occupies the southern half of Arizona.  Overall this desert covers approximately 100,387 square miles of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico

Saguaros grow slowly, averaging between 1 and 1.5 inches in their first eight years. When one dies it takes over a century to replace it as saguaros do not reach adulthood until around age 125.

Replanting saguaros supports forest restoration, a foundational component of the Tonto National Forest Land Management Plan. Reforestation aids the environment by preserving biodiversity within the ecosystem.

“Many people think the Sonoran Desert is barren but it’s brimming with life and serves as a keystone ecosystem for the nation,” Veerman said. “Saguaros play a key role by providing shelter, food, and nesting sites for many animals. Their iconic status continues to inspire efforts to preserve the cactus as well as the unique desert ecosystem it anchors.”

A photo of Saguaro Cactus to be planted on the Bush fire burn scar on November 18 2024.jpg

A photo of Saguaro Cactus being planted on the Bush fire burn scar on November 18 2024.jpg

A photo of Saguaro Cactus being prepared for planting on on the Bush fire burn scar November 18 2024.jpg

Firefighters plan to continue prescribed fire operations on the Black Mesa Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests beginning November 20 through November 25, 2024, as weather and vegetation conditions allow for successful operations. 

The Rimtop project area is 1,286 acres and is 9 miles west of the community of Forest Lakes.  The project area is bounded by Forest Roads 195, 105, 9350, and constructed control lines. Trails around Woods Canyon Lake will also be used as a control line.

The objective is to reduce hazardous fuel accumulations, minimize the risk of high-severity wildfires, and return the landscape to a more fire-resistant condition, aligning with the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The Forest Service's 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which aims to reduce wildfire risk to people, communities, and natural resources while sustaining and restoring healthy, resilient fire-adapted forests. 

Smoke is expected to be visible from the communities of Forest Lakes and Heber-Overgaard, and Highway 260. Smoke may also impact these areas and areas around the unit including FS Roads 195, 105 and 9350. We recognize that smoke can impact residents, visitors, and our fire personnel. We will continue to coordinate closely with our partners and communities to minimize smoke impacts as much as possible.

All prescribed fires on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are subject to Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The department’s Air Quality Division: Smoke Management webpage provides details about its air quality program. When smoke impacts are present, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality recommends that smoke sensitive individuals should reduce physical activity and stay indoors with windows and doors closed. For those who are unable to avoid smoke exposure, use of a particulate-filtering respirator mask can help. Real-time mapping of smoke and other air quality impacts is available at fire.airnow.gov.

Visit the A-S National Forests website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs.

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On Wednesday, November 20, Palo Verde Generating Station (PVGS), in cooperation with local and State agencies, will test the outdoor warning sirens located within a 10-mile radius of the power plant. In conjunction with the siren test and in the same 10-mile radius, Maricopa County will conduct an opt-in Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA).

Testing will involve activating the sirens twice and WEA once, sirens will be activated at 12:00 p.m. and again at 12:30 p.m. for approximately three minutes each time.  The Opt-in WEA will be tested at 12:15 p.m. Individuals will be stationed at each of the 70 sirens and they will report siren activations and wireless alert notifications to emergency managers following the test.

The siren system is part of the “Alert and Notification System” required by federal regulations. Testing of the siren system is required by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 

The versatility of the WEA system allows notification to the entire county or specific areas within the county.  On November 20, the test area will be limited to the siren test area and only to those phones that have opted-in to receive test alerts.  

The message to accompany the WEA will state, “THIS IS A TEST OF MARICOPA COUNTY WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED”.  

In the unlikely event of an emergency at Palo Verde requiring public actions, one of three response agencies (Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office or the Arizona Department of Public Safety) will activate the alerting sirens to direct residents to turn on their radios and televisions. Likewise, wireless alerts (activated by Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management) will direct residents to do the same.  An Emergency Alert System (EAS) message will then broadcast over radio & television and provide emergency instructions and information.

For more information, contact the Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management at 602-273-1411 or visit Maricopa.gov/ready.

Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, today reminded California businesses and residents of the Dec. 17, deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for property damage caused by the Airport Fire in Riverside County that occurred Sept. 9-Oct. 6.

According to Sánchez, businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters may apply for SBA federal disaster loans to repair or replace disaster damaged property.

These low-interest federal disaster loans are available in Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties in California; and La Paz County in Arizona.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

In addition, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage. The deadline to apply for an SBA economic injury disaster loan is July 18, 2025.

“SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” Sánchez said. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.”

Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition. 

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement. 

On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659‑2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Poultry at a commercial farm located in Pinal County have tested positive for Avian Influenza. When the poultry began showing clinical signs consistent with avian influenza on November 11, 2024, samples from the location were submitted to the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (AZVDL) for preliminary determination, then submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) for confirmation. Eggs produced after the onset of illness have not entered the food supply. Consumers in Arizona and around the nation can remain confident in the safety and quality of eggs and egg products. The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) has ensured a quick response to alleviate any supply chain challenges.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk to the general public is
considered to be low with those most at risk of exposure being individuals working on a commercial farm, directly involved with the daily care and husbandry of the birds. Information regarding protective actions for workers and the monitoring of avian influenza can be found on the CDC’s website, updated regularly.

"ADHS is collaborating with AZDA in the response to avian influenza and will continue to monitor influenza activity in Arizona in collaboration with local health departments. While the risk to the general public remains low, workers and individuals that may be at risk for exposure to avian influenza should follow public health guidance,"said Nicole Witt, ADHS Assistant Director of Preparedness.

The affected poultry farm has been placed under quarantine on the recommendation of the Director of the AZDA and the AZDA State Veterinarian. Enhanced biosecurity measures are in place and efforts are underway to perform virus elimination. All applicable sanitation responses have been quickly implemented. Our dedicated and experienced team continues to monitor the situation closely to ensure consumer protection is always maintained.

Sick Bird Hotline: If you see signs of illness in your poultry, report them immediately to USDA at 1-866-536-7593. You can also contact your local cooperative extension office, local veterinarian, or your State Veterinarian. For wild bird illness, please contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

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.

In the interest of safety, forest visitors are reminded to obey all traffic signs and use caution when traveling in the vicinity of the pile burns as firefighters and fire-related traffic will be in the area.

The purpose of this project is to reduce hazardous fuels following thinning and fuelwood removal activities. Reducing hazardous fuels helps reduce the threat of high-severity, high-intensity wildfire to the public, adjacent private property, and area communities. Burning of debris left over from brush crush and thinning projects requires moisture in the surrounding vegetation and typically produces much lighter smoke than broadcast burning.

All prescribed fire activity is dependent on the availability of personnel and equipment, weather, fuels and conditions that minimize smoke impacts as much as possible, and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (www.azdeq.gov).

For fire information please call Prescott National Forest Bradshaw/Chino Valley Ranger District at (928) 443-8000.  Stay up to date on Prescott National Forest news by checking the Prescott NF website.

A map of the Prescott Basin Pile Burn on November 8 2024.jpg

 

Small nonfarm businesses in six Arizona counties and neighboring counties in California, Nevada and Utah, are now eligible to apply for low‑interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought in the following primary counties that began Sept. 10.

• Primary Arizona counties:  La Paz and Mohave;
• Neighboring Arizona counties:  Coconino, Maricopa, Yavapai and Yuma;
• Neighboring California counties:  Imperial, Riverside and San Bernardino;
• Neighboring Nevada counties:  Clark and Lincoln;
• Neighboring Utah counties:  Kane and Washington.

When farmers face crop losses and a disaster is declared by the Secretary of Agriculture, SBA working capital loans become a lifeline for eligible small businesses. “These loans are the backbone that helps rural communities bounce back and thrive after a disaster strikes,” Sánchez said.

“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disaster and businesses directly impacted by the disaster,” Sánchez continued.

Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

“Eligibility for these loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent for businesses and 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations, a maximum term of 30 years and are available to small businesses and most private nonprofits without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” Sánchez added.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the initial disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

By law, SBA makes Economic Injury Disaster Loans available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. The Secretary declared this disaster on Nov. 4.

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance in drought disasters.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to apply for economic injury is July 7, 2025.

Fire managers with the Coconino National Forest plan to burn piles of slash along Snowbowl Road tomorrow to reduce hazardous forest fuels.

For the latest information at any time of the day, details and updates about all prescribed burn projects can be found on the Coconino NF Prescribed Burn Projects Inciweb page, which is updated any time new information is available

Snowbowl Road Piles Project

• Date: Nov. 7, 2024
• Location: Flagstaff Ranger District. About 3 miles up Snowbowl Road (approximately 7.5 miles northwest of Flagstaff).
• Size: 57 acres
• Type of Burn: Pile burn. Pile burning is burning forest slash that has been piled up from mechanical or hand-thinning projects. Pile burns are done during winter months when moisture or snow is on the ground so the heat can be managed safely.
• Smoke Impacts: Possible smoke impacts to Fort Valley and U.S. Highway 180. North and east winds are predicted.
• Why: Burning these piles from timber treatments effectively removes them as a forest fuel.
• Closures: No closures are associated with this project.

Smoke Impacts & Management

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.

 Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, today announced the opening of its virtual Business Recovery Center to meet the needs of Havasupai Tribe businesses and individuals who were affected by flooding that occurred Aug. 22–23.

“When disasters strike, our virtual Business Recovery Centers are key to helping business owners and residents get back on their feet,” Sánchez said. “At these virtual centers, people can connect directly with our specialists to apply for disaster loans and learn about the full range of programs available to rebuild and move forward in their recovery journey.”

SBA has established a virtual Business Recovery Center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their electronic loan application.

Virtual Business Recovery Center

• Mondays – Fridays
• 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time
• [email protected]
• (916) 932-8956
• Opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5
• Closed Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in observance of Veterans Day

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

“SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” Sánchez continued. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.”

SBA disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to apply for property damage is Dec. 24, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is July 25, 2025.

 Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, today reminded private nonprofit organizations in the San Carlos Apache Tribe of the Dec. 3, deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for property damage caused by Watch Fire that occurred July 10-17. Private nonprofits that provide essential services of a governmental nature are eligible for assistance.

According to Sánchez, eligible private nonprofits of any size may apply for SBA federal disaster loans of up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

In addition, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help eligible private nonprofits meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the private nonprofit suffered any property damage. Private nonprofits have until July 7, 2025, to apply for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan.

“SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” Sánchez continued. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.”

The interest rate is 3.25 percent with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

 

Tonto National Forest firefighters are planning five “pit burns” on the Payson Ranger District beginning in November and continuing through March 2025 as weather and related conditions permit.

The Payson Pits prescribed fire project will remove assorted woody fuels resulting from clearing projects on federal and private lands. The Tonto’s Facebook and ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) social media pages will post specific start dates and projected end times for each prescribed fire.

Each pit is approximately two acres and includes debris from National Forest System lands, area cooperators and local property owners. Fire specialists will oversee burning at the following locations:

• Chase Pit, located 11 miles north of Payson, Arizona.
• Conner Pit, located 20 miles south of Young, Arizona, on the Globe-Young Highway near mile marker 281.
• Gisela Pit, located one mile north of Gisela, Arizona.
• Pleasant Valley Pit, located two miles south of Young, Arizona, on the Globe-Young Highway near mile marker 304.
• Ponderosa Pit, located 12 miles east of Payson on State Route 260 at mile marker 265.

For additional information about the above projects, contact the Payson Ranger Station located at 1009 E. Highway 260, Payson, Arizona. Or phone the station at (928) 474-7900 Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.

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With predicted moisture in the next couple of days, fire managers with the Coconino National Forest are planning on conducting pile burns 4 miles west of Flagstaff, south of Interstate 40 along Naval Observatory Road.

Smoke will be visible to those in Flagstaff and motorists along I-40 and may impact areas of Flagstaff Ranch.

A small amount of piles are also planned for burning in the Flagstaff Hotshot Ranch area near Fort Valley. Smoke will be light.

Pile burning is burning forest slash that has been piled up from mechanical or hand-thinning projects. Pile burns are done during winter months when moisture or snow is on the ground so the heat can be managed safely.

Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to certain private nonprofit organizations in Havasupai Tribe following President Biden’s federal disaster declaration for Public Assistance as a result of flooding that occurred Aug. 22-23, announced Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Private nonprofits that provide essential services of a governmental nature are eligible for assistance.

“Private nonprofit organizations should contact FEMA Public Assistance Branch Chief Michael Gayrard by calling (510) 627-7761 or emailing [email protected] to obtain information about applicant briefings,” said Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “At the briefings, private nonprofit representatives will need to provide information about their organization,” continued Sánchez. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will use that information to determine if the private nonprofit provides an “essential governmental service” and is a “critical facility” as defined by law. FEMA may provide the private nonprofit with a Public Assistance grant for their eligible costs. SBA encourages all private nonprofit organizations to apply with SBA for disaster loan assistance.

SBA may lend private nonprofits up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

For certain private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help with meeting working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the nonprofit suffered any property damage.

“SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” Sánchez added. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.”

The interest rate is 3.25 percent with terms up to 30 years. The deadline to apply for property damage is Dec. 24, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is July 25, 2025.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

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.

Trails in the Bean Peaks area will be closed during prescribed fire operations including: Green Bean #0007, Magic Bean #0015, Spicy Bean #0017, Baked Bean #0015, Beany Baby #0018, Mr. Bean #0007, Bean Sprout #0019, Rice and Beans #0018, Limey Bean #0023, Jelly Bean #0025, and Ponderosa Trail #0382. 

We would like to thank the community for its patience and understanding as we work to treat hazardous fuels and restore resilient landscapes.  Prescribed fires in the wildland-urban interface also help create buffer zones where we have a higher probability of safely stopping future unwanted wildfires.

Expect smoke impacts to be light and visible from multiple locations including Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, and surrounding area communities.  As nighttime temperatures cool, smoke can linger in drainages and valleys.  All prescribed fire activity is dependent on the availability of personnel and equipment, weather, fuels, conditions that minimize smoke impacts as much as possible, and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (www.azdeq.gov).  In the interest of safety, forest visitors are reminded to obey all traffic signs and use caution when traveling in the vicinity of prescribed burns as firefighters and fire-related traffic will be in the area.

Prescott National Forest’s land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health and includes reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Low to moderate fire behavior can reduce hazardous fuels in the and increase ecosystem and community resilience.  A variety of ground and aerial resources are being used to meet the project objectives.  The project also furthers the goals of the Forest Service’s national Wildfire Crisis Strategy to restore forests so they are less vulnerable to extreme wildfires that can threaten lives and property; and negatively impact watersheds and wildlife habitat.

For fire information please call the Bradshaw Ranger District at 928-443-8000 during regular office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 - 12:00 & 12:30 - 4:00.  Stay up to date on Prescott National Forest news by checking the Prescott NF website and following us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to Havasupai Tribe businesses and residents as a result of President Biden’s major disaster declaration, U.S. Small Business Administration’s Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman announced.

The declaration covers the Havasupai Tribe as a result of the flooding that occurred Aug. 22-23.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available to businesses regardless of any property damage.

“SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements."

Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

As soon as Federal-State Disaster Recovery Centers open throughout the affected area, SBA will provide one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants. Additional information and details on the location of disaster recovery centers is available by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.

Fire managers plan to conduct prescribed fire operations on the Alpine Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests beginning November 1 through November 30, 2024, as weather and vegetation conditions allow for successful operations.

The Loco Knoll burn unit is 6,695 acres and is approximately 12 miles southeast of Springerville, 11 miles northeast of Alpine, and on the north side of Escudilla mountain.  The project area boundaries are east of the no named two track road next to White Mountain Acres subdivision, south of Forest Service Road (FSR) 275B and constructed control lines west of FSR 851A and north of FSR 275 and FSR 851.

The objective of this prescribed fire project is to reduce hazardous fuel accumulations, minimize the risk of high-severity wildfires, and return the landscape to a more fire-resistant condition, aligning with the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The Forest Service's 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy aims to reduce wildfire risk to people, communities, and natural resources while sustaining and restoring healthy, resilient fire-adapted forests. 

Smoke may be visible from Highway 191 and drift towards Springerville and Nutrioso.  We recognize that smoke can impact residents, visitors, and our fire personnel. We will continue to coordinate closely with our partners and communities to minimize smoke impacts as much as possible. The department’s Air Quality Division: Smoke Management webpage provides details about its air quality program. When smoke impacts are present, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality recommends that smoke sensitive individuals should reduce physical activity and stay indoors with windows and doors closed. For those who are unable to avoid smoke exposure, use of a particulate-filtering respirator mask can help. Real-time mapping of smoke and other air quality impacts is available at fire.airnow.gov.

Visit the A-S National Forests website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs.

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Fire managers on the Verde Ranger District plan to use ground and aerial resources to treat fuels at two locations in the Mingus Mountain area between Sunday, November 3 and Friday, November 29. 

Descriptions:

• Crater RX (T14N, R3E, Sec 19,20,21,28,29,30,31,32,33) – is a 2,805 acre burn, two miles north of HWY 169, four miles northwest of I-17, and one mile south of Cherry. Vegetation is primarily brush and grass, with small areas of juniper and ponderosa pine.
• Grapevine/Strawberry RX (T14N, R2E, Sec 2,3,4,8,9,10,12,13,14,15,16) – is a 7,144 acre burn, five miles north of HWY 169, five miles southeast of HWY 89A, six miles northeast of Dewey, and five miles northwest of Cherry. Vegetations is primarily brush and grass, with areas of ponderosa pine.

 Expect smoke impacts to be light to moderate and visible from multiple locations including Verde Valley, Cherry, Dewey-Humbolt, Prescott and surrounding areas.

The objective of these prescribed burns is to improve conditions for native vegetation by reducing shrub and juniper fuel loading.  Fire managers are closely monitoring weather and fuels conditions with equal attention to the wildfire activity and firefighting resources on the Prescott National Forest as well the resource availability of nearby wildland fire partner agencies.

Prescribed fires on National Forest System lands may only be implemented when the conditions at the project site meet the objectives and criteria outlined in the prescribed burn plan. These criteria include acceptable ranges for wind, humidity, fuel moisture, and temperature.  Implementation also depends on the availability of personnel and equipment; conditions that minimize smoke impacts as much as possible; and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (www.azdeq.gov).  If any of the conditions are outside the prescription, the prescribed fire will not be implemented. The Forest Service is fully committed to using this critical tool safely and effectively in collaboration with the tribes, partners, and area communities.

In the interest of safety, forest visitors are reminded to obey all traffic signs and use caution when traveling in the vicinity of prescribed burns as firefighters and fire-related traffic will be in the area.

Messages will be posted on social media when prescribed fires are ignited on the Prescott National Forest:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescottNF/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/PrescottNF

For fire information please call (928) 777-2200; or stay up to date on Prescott National Forest news by checking the Prescott NF website and following us on Facebook and Twitter.

Maps of the Crater and Grapevine/Strawberry prescribed fires:

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A map of the Grapevine Strawberry prescribed fire on October 28 2024.jpg