Arizona Emergency Information Network

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Ozone High Pollution Advisory for Friday, June 02.

Restrictions

• Wood burning in residential fireplaces, chimeneas, outdoor fire pits, and similar outdoor fires is prohibited in Maricopa County. This includes individuals and businesses which have burn permits for open burning.
• Employees and contractors of government entities are prohibited from operating leaf blowers. Residents are encouraged to avoid leaf blowing.
• Off-road vehicle use should be avoided.

Take Action

• Drive as little as possible: carpool, use public transit, or telecommute. For information on transportation alternatives, visit Valley Metro: www.ShareTheRide.com.
• Fuel your vehicle after dark or during cooler evening hours.
• Reduce your time waiting in long drive-thru lines. For example, at coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, or banks. Park your vehicle and go inside.
• Use low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
• Delay big painting projects until HPAs have passed.
• Make sure containers of household cleaners, garage and yard chemicals and other solvents are sealed properly to prevent vapors from evaporating into the air.
• Eliminate wood burning in fireplaces, stoves, chimeneas, and outdoor fire pits.
• Avoid using leaf blowers. Use a rake or broom to keep debris out of the road and away from storm drains, ditches, and streams.
• Conserve electricity.

Transportation Coordinators

Due to unhealthy levels of ozone, Maricopa County Air Quality Department requests all Transportation Coordinators to email employees and activate your HPA plans. The department encourages the use of alternative modes of transportation, especially when pollution levels are expected to be on the rise.

Remind employees that they are encouraged to make more clean air. By taking small, simple steps every day, we can all make a difference. Additional tips on how to reduce air pollution can be found at www.CleanAirMakeMore.com.

Ozone: Ground level ozone is formed by a chemical reaction that needs heat from sunlight, nitrogen oxides and VOCs to form. The months of April through September make up our Valley’s longer-than-normal "ozone season."

 "High Pollution Advisory" or "HPA" means the highest concentration of pollution may exceed the federal health standard. Active children, adults and people with lung disease such as asthma should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Maricopa County employers enlisted in the Travel Reduction Program are asked to activate their HPA plans on high pollution advisory days.

 Over the next few weeks, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) implements two prescribed burn projects to reduce hazardous fuel on State Trust land and safeguard communities within Coconino County.

Observatory RX Burn:
The 750-acre Observatory project is a broadcast burn located five miles west of Flagstaff, west of the Naval Observatory, and
directly south of Interstate 40. The project incorporates State Trust Land and Flagstaff-area Wildland Urban Interface and
provides for wildfire risk reduction and benefits forest health. The project area consists of a Ponderosa Pine environment with
blocks broken out by roads, previously prepped hand lines, dozer lines, and topographical features. Project managers will
implement strategies to limit smoke impacts to I-40 and nearby communities, including Bellemont and neighborhoods within
the Flagstaff-area. The project will be broken into multiple blocks and may take a few days to complete in an effort to reduce
smoke impacts and mitigate the drifting and settling of smoke. Project managers originally planned this burn for mid-May, but
due to unfavorable weather conditions they paused the project at that time. While all efforts are being taken to mitigate and
reduce smoke, the public should expect some impacts.

Crater Sinks RX Burn:
The 500-acre Crater Sinks project is also a broadcast burn, located southwest of Flagstaff and west of State Route 89A. The State Trust land project helps to reduce overloaded fuel and reduces wildfire risk to nearby communities. This DFFM project coincides with a nearby, federal project which ultimately allows both agencies to target and treat more acres collectively to protect property and infrastructure. Smoke off this project may impact SR 89A and surrounding communities with overnight smoke possibly settling into upper Oak Creek Canyon.

Firing operations tentatively begin on both projects the morning of Thursday, June 1, 2023, and are planned daily until both
projects are completed. However, ignitions are always weather dependent and work can be delayed, postponed, or cancelled
due to unsafe or unfavorable conditions and crew availability. All prescribed burns, whether broadcast or pile burns, must have
approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality prior to ignitions. The public can view approved prescribed
burns on ADEQ’s website: smoke.azdeq.gov. Prescribed fire information can also be found by downloading the Arizona
Department of Forestry and Fire Management’s app on the iTunes and Google Play stores.

Prescribed fire operations are continuing at various locations across the south zone of the Kaibab National forest this spring with the next project to be treated near Kendrick Mountain.  The 4052 acre Kendrick Rx project will begin on Thursday this week. The planned treatments will begin just northwest of Spring Valley, east of FR144 and south of FR171.

Area residents and visitors may see and hear a helicopter in the area, as aerial ignitions will occur on portions of this burn. Citizens are strongly urged to refrain from using any type of aerial-drone systems near the active project area that could potentially interfere with aircraft operations.

Daytime winds are forecasted to carry smoke northeast, however some smoke is expected to impact Pumpkin Center on the west side of Kendrick Mountain. Smoke will likely be visible from Spring Valley, Parks, Williams, and from Highway 180, state route 64, and Interstate-40. Residual smoke may settle into drainages and low-lying areas overnight but will lift and ventilate shortly after sunrise. Fire managers will continue to coordinate closely with partners and communities within and adjacent to the Kaibab National Forest to minimize impacts as much as possible.

There are no trail or area closures in the vicinity of this project.

The spring of 2023 has presented a unique opportunity for proactive prescribed burning to continue due to the preceding winter that resulted in higher than normal moisture levels enduring in the forest. Exact ignition dates are dependent upon current environmental conditions at each specific location that align with the parameters outlined in the project burn plan.

All prescribed fires are subject to approval by an agency administrator, and by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The department’s Air Quality Division: Smoke Management webpage provides details about its air quality program. To learn more about smoke and public health, visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness.

The Kaibab National Forest remains committed to providing the public with ongoing updates with as much advance notice as possible. Sign up to receive Kaibab NF news releases in your email.

Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Prescribed fires help reduce hazardous fuels that have accumulated due to drought, climate change, insects and disease, and decades of fire suppression. Fire also recycles nutrients back to the soil, promotes the growth of trees, wildflowers, and other plants, and improves habitat for threatened and endangered species. These efforts align with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy which aims to increase prescribed fire and other treatments to improve forest resiliency for generations to come.

Additional information can be found on the Kaibab NF website, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, or by calling the local ranger stations. 

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The Coconino National Forest plans to continue work on two prescribed burn projects this week that will help restore healthier conditions to the forest and fire-dependent ecosystems.

Prescribed burns will be canceled if weather conditions – such as temperature, wind or humidity – do not meet the criteria outlined in the burn plans.

Horseshoe Burn project:

When: Wednesday, May 31.
Where: Located on the Flagstaff Ranger District 14 miles north of Flagstaff, north of the San Francisco Peaks (35°24'26.2"N 111°39'13.2"W). See “Block 7” of the FRD Horseshoe Rx burn map.
Why: As part of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, this burn will reintroduce fire into a fire-dependent ecosystem to help maintain forest fuels and help reduce the risk of severe wildfires in the area.
Size: 1,089 acres.
Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn. 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. Initial entry burns mean wildfire has not been through the area in a very long time and thus results in thicker smoke due to a large amount of forest fuels being present that must be burned.
Duration: This burn is planned for one day.
Smoke Impacts: Relatively light smoke should travel to the northeast. Impacts along U.S. Highway 89 should be mostly light but could be moderate during the early morning hours Wednesday.
Closures/Restrictions: There are no anticipated road or trail closures.
 

Sawmill Burn project:

When: Wednesday, May 31 through Thursday, June 1.
Where: Approximately 6 miles southeast of Mormon Lake, east of Hutch Mountain (34°52'40.5"N 111°21'17.9"W). See Sawmill Rx Vicinity map for details.
Why: As part of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, this burn will reintroduce fire into a fire-dependent ecosystem to help maintain forest fuels and help reduce the risk of severe wildfires in the area.
Size: 4,000 acres.
Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn.
Duration: This burn is planned for two days.
Smoke Impacts: Smoke will generally travel northeast and may settle in the Kinnikinick Lake area as well as further east in the Long Lake area. If east winds are present smoke may settle between Lake Mary Road and Winslow, as well as south of Interstate 40.
Closures/Restrictions: There are no anticipated road or trail closures.
 

Prescribed burn information can always be accessed in several ways:

Via InciWeb at inciweb.wildfire.gov. All projects will be detailed under the "Coconino National Forest prescribed fire (Spring 2023)" page.
On Twitter at @CoconinoNF
On Facebook - search "U.S. Forest Service - Coconino National Forest"
Via news releases. Subscribe to Coconino National Forest news releases by visiting coconinonationalforest.us, and then clicking the "Get News Via Email" link under the "Stay Connected" header

Prescribed burns are always dependent upon weather and wind conditions, as well as approval from Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The public can view approved prescribed burns on ADEQ’s website at smoke.azdeq.gov. Coconino NF burns begin with the designator “COF.”

During prescribed burns, smoke will be visible from several areas across the forest. Please refrain from contacting dispatch or 911 to report prescribed burn smoke so lines can remain open for emergencies.

The Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy aims to increase prescribed burning and other treatments across the landscape to improve forest resiliency for generations to come. With that work comes more smoke which can have an impact on both the public and our responders. 

We recognize that smoke impacts can affect residents and visitors in addition to our fire personnel. We will continue to coordinate closely with partners and communities to keep people informed about projects and potential smoke. Affected communities can learn more at airnow.gov.

Prior to conducting prescribed burns, the Coconino NF follows steps outlined in the agency-wide National Prescribed Fire Review. These steps include items such as validating and updating prescribed burn plans with the most recent science and modeling, incorporating new drought monitoring data, ensuring the patrol plan and long-term patrol strategy is documented and communicating with and involving landowners, cooperators, elected officials and partners as we implement prescribed fires.

Prescribed burns are an important part of maintaining forest health. For more information on why prescribed burns are conducted and how they benefit the landscape and help protect communities, please visit our Prescribed Fire and Forest Health webpage.

Firefighters with the Flagstaff Ranger District of Coconino National Forest have responded to a 1-acre wildfire approximately 16 miles west of Flagstaff and south of Garland Prairie (GPS coordinates: 35°07'10.2"N 111°57'10.4"W).

The Volunteer Fire is a lightning-caused wildfire reported on May 23, burning near Volunteer Canyon in the burn footprint of the 2021 Rafael Fire. Firefighters have confined the fire and are assessing to see if it is ideal for managing to allow the fire to fulfill its natural role and consume debris across the forest floor in a safe manner.

There are no structures threatened by the fire, and light to moderate smoke will be visible to those in Sycamore Canyon and the Garland Prairie area. Allowing the fire to move across the landscape and consume forest fuels will help restore the forest to healthier conditions and minimize the risk of severe wildfires in that area.

These types of fires do not have a planned end date, but fire personnel follow a specific process called Wildland Fire Decision Support System that helps guide and document wildfire decisions, as well as provides the information needed for decision makers to develop effective strategies and tactics in working with a wildfire.

There are currently no road or trail closures in effect, but visitors are asked to avoid the fire area.

Updates of all notable fire activity and smoke impacts will be provided via Coconino National Forest’s social media sites, to include the Forest’s Twitter and Facebook sites.

To sign up to receive news releases, visit the Coconino National Forest’s News & Events page and click the blue “Sign Up!” button in the right column.

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The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is currently working to begin prescribed fire operations beginning May 30 through June 10, 2023. The following prescribed fires will be initiated if conditions and approvals allow:

Lakeside Ranger District:
•    Lakeside East-Doyle and Ecks Units – May 30 through June 10, 2023, depending on weather. Location: three miles southwest of Vernon, AZ. Project boundary is along and within Forest Road 44, Forest Road 3D and Forest Road 5. The public should expect to see smoke from Highway 60 and possibly 260.

Springerville Ranger District:
•    West Escudilla – May 31 through June 4, 2023. Location: Northeast side of the forest, just north of Hwy 180 and Nelson Reservoir. The project is to remove piles that were created by hand thinning in pinion/juniper. The public should expect to see smoke from highway 60 and 180. Smoke will be visible intermittently in Springerville.

Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Prescribed fires provide habitat diversity, recycle plant nutrients into the soil, and encourage new growth for various plants used by wildlife and livestock. They also reduce forest surface fuels which lessen the threat of large-scale wildfire impacts on private lands and communities.

Smoke will be a consideration in the vicinity of the prescribed fires depending on the weather and caution should be used when traveling in the area. Information on air quality and active prescribed fires can be found on Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s webpage: https://azdeq.gov/.
Stay up to date on news from the A-S at our website https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf, on Twitter @A_SNFs and on facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs.

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Fire managers on the Mogollon Rim Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest have determined a lightning-caused fire reported Sunday, May 21, west of Clints Well is ideal for managing and will allow the fire to fulfill its natural role and consume forest debris.

The Wilbur Fire, currently 2 acres, is smoldering at a low intensity in heavy dead and down mixed conifer fuels, and is located just south of West Clear Creak Wilderness about 8.5 miles directly west of the intersection of Lake Mary Road and state Route 87 (GPS coordinates: 34°33'03.9"N 111°28'00.5"W).

There are no structures threatened by the fire, and smoke may be visible to those in the area. Allowing the fire to move across the landscape and consume forest fuels will help restore the forest to healthier conditions and minimize the risk of severe wildfires in that area.

These types of fires do not have a planned end date, but fire personnel follow a specific process called Wildland Fire Decision Support System that helps guide and document wildfire decisions, as well as provides the information needed for decision makers to develop effective strategies and tactics in working with a wildfire.

There are currently no road or trail closures in effect, but visitors are asked to avoid the fire area. As weather warms and dries out the forest, the fire may increase in size and cause increased smoke impacts to the immediate area, West Clear Creek, Clints Well and surrounding communities.

Updates of notable fire activity and smoke impacts will also be provided via Coconino National Forest’s social media sites, to include the Forest’s Twitter and Facebook sites.

To sign up to receive news releases, visit the Coconino National Forest’s News & Events page and click the blue “Sign Up!” button in the right column.

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Beginning around the first part of June, the North Zone Interagency Fire/Fuels group will resume road edge mastication treatments on North Kaibab Ranger District denoted routes. Contractors will be using heavy equipment to thin roadside vegetation areas along multiple forest roads for the purpose of setting boundaries for prescribed fire implementation and strategic wildfire planning to aid in containment. The project is being implemented under the Kaibab Plateau Ecological Restoration Project. The project areas are located on forest roads on the southern part of the district to the east and west of Arizona State Route 67 and may occur along access roads to the Rainbow Rim trailheads to the west and the Marble Canyon Wilderness to the east.

Impacts to roads and trails are expected to be minimal and no area or road closures are currently expected. Work areas and routes where machines are in use will be signed for public awareness, and we do ask the public to avoid the project area if equipment is operation. If encountered, do not approach or linger around machinery; approaching such equipment is very dangerous as the operator will not see you. Give forest machines a 500-foot working buffer.

Mastication is a process in which heavy machinery equipped with chopping and/or grinding components move through a forest area of shrubs and small trees, leaving chipped or shredded material behind. This process converts ladder fuels to ground fuels, reducing the potential for rapid wildfire growth and aids firefighters in anchoring firelines to these areas for containment as well as reducing snag hazards for all forest road users. The material left behind also increases the rate of decomposition of the biomass, enhancing the cycling of carbon and other nutrients sequestered in the biomass and making those nutrients available to the forest around it.

Mechanical thinning treatments have proven to be an effective restoration and management tool. Completion of this project will improve the health and resiliency of fire-adapted ecosystems while simultaneously restoring watersheds, rangelands, and wildlife habitats and reducing hazardous fuels that pose a threat to the forest.

Information can be found on the Kaibab NF website, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, or by calling the local ranger stations.

Map of mastication on North Kaibab Ranger District, June 2023:

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Beginning Wednesday, May 31, Kaibab National Forest fire managers plan to re-initiate prescribed fire treatments on the Three Sisters Prescribed Fire Project located just north of the City of Williams and Interstate 40, east of forest road 124, and west of Airport Road and Highway 64. This project has been inactive since crews completed treatments on 2241 acres in the fall of 2019. This time, crews are targeting a total of 1509 acres and anticipate ignitions to take 1-2 days, depending on conditions.

Area residents and visitors can expect to see and hear a helicopter in the area, as aerial ignitions will occur on portions of the burn. Citizens are strongly urged to refrain from using any type of aerial-drone systems near the active project area that could potentially interfere with aircraft operations. Approximately 75 personnel will be assigned to this fire, including an Incident Meteorologist who will advise fire managers on current and predicted weather and an Air Resource Advisor from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Air Resources Division who will be modeling and monitoring the smoke.

Smoke will be highly noticeable from the Williams area, particularly the Country Club / Elephant Rocks Golf Course, H.A. Clark Memorial Field Airport, Cataract Lake Park, Kaibab Lake, Ash Fork, Valle, portions of State Route 64 and I-40. Smoke is expected to lift during the day and travel northeast over Red Lake Valley, however cooler overnight temperatures may cause smoke to settle into low-lying areas surrounding the burn location.

No road or trail closures are planned as part of the Three Sisters prescribed fire project however, during operations fire personnel and vehicles will be visible to the public. Motorists are reminded to use caution and drive with heightened awareness when passing through active project areas.

Fire managers recognize that community members may be sensitive to smoke, and use strategies to limit the amount and duration. This includes dividing large projects into smaller units so that crews can focus efforts where and when conditions will help smoke disperse away from developed areas and ventilate quicker, reducing the impacts to local residents and businesses. Next week’s 1509 acres comprise two units of the 7400-acre Three Sisters Project. Prescribed fires with shorter-term impacts to air quality help significantly reduce the risks to public health and safety.

Goals of prescribed fire treatments include decreasing the threat of unnatural severe wildfire and potential negative consequences to the community, improving forest health, and reintroducing fire to an ecosystem that relies on frequent fire to maintain resilience. Prescribed fires help reduce hazardous fuels that have accumulated due to drought, climate change, insects and disease, and decades of fire suppression. Fire also recycles nutrients back to the soil, promotes the growth of trees, wildflowers, and other plants, and improves habitat for threatened and endangered species. Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. These efforts align with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy which aims to increase prescribed fire and other treatments to improve forest resiliency for generations to come.

After the units planned for next week are complete, approximately 3600 acres of the Three Sisters Project will be left to treat. Crews may resume these remaining units later in the year as conditions allow.

All prescribed fires are subject to approval by an agency administrator and by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The department’s Air Quality Division: Smoke Management webpage provides details about its air quality program.

To learn more about smoke and public health, visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness.

The Kaibab National Forest remains committed to providing the public with ongoing updates with as much advance notice as possible. Sign up to receive Kaibab NF news releases in your email.

Additional information can be found on the Kaibab NF website, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, or by calling the Fire Information Hotline at 928-635-8311 or contacting local ranger stations.

Three Sisters Rx Project Vicinity Map:

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The Miller Fire, located in the Secret Mountain Wilderness of the Coconino National Forest’s Red Rock Ranger District (GPS coordinates: 34°57'21.2"N 111°50'05.6"W), is now at roughly 35 acres.

A closure order has been issued for the area surrounding the fire, including Secret Mountain Loop Trails.

The Miller Fire is moving at a low rate of spread through brush, timber and rocky terrain southwest toward the south side of Secret Canyon and Maroon Mountain.

Current resources include one Hotshot crew, one hand crew, two engines, three helicopters and air attack.

Resources successfully established a control line on the eastern side of the fire in Secret Canyon Tuesday and spent Wednesday holding those lines while working to keep the fire south of Secret Canyon Creek.

Crews plan to continue working to directly suppress the fire at all accessible points and will evaluate inaccessible portions of the fire in order to respond when and if firefighting efforts can safely be carried out.

Rough and rocky terrain and steep cliff faces create challenges for on-the-ground fire suppression efforts. Predicted Friday wind gusts of up to 30 miles per hour may impede aerial operations.

The fire was first reported on May 20, but due to weather conditions, aerial resources were not able to confirm the fire until Monday, May 22.

There are no structures threatened by the fire.

Smoke impacts may be felt to the north and northeast of the fire. Light smoke is expected to settle into the Sedona area overnight.

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Starting tomorrow, Friday, May 26, 2023, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management implements Stage I fire restrictions on State Trust Lands within La Paz, Mohave, and Yuma Counties.

DFFM fire managers say an uptick in fire activity coupled with an overload of curing, fine fuels warrant restrictions in the western part of the state. With temperatures rising and dry weather forecast, fine fuel will dry out faster creating increased fire danger and the potential for higher fire activity. The department continues to evaluate other areas of the state on a weekly basis and will implement additional restrictions when conditions warrant them.

Restrictions go into effect Friday at 8:00 a.m. and stay in place until rescinded.

Restrictions apply to the following state-owned and state-managed lands within the above-mentioned counties including:

• All State Trust lands outside incorporated municipalities.
• All Game and Fish Commission Wildlife areas and department properties outside incorporated municipalities.
• All State Parks outside incorporated municipalities – State Parks will remain open with fire restrictions in place.
• Please refer to https://azstateparks.com/fire-safety/ – for park-specific fire restriction information.
• All Department of Transportation highway, right-of-way property outside incorporated municipalities, not owned by federal land management agencies.

Restrictions include:

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal, or wood stove, other than in a developed campsite or picnic area is prohibited. Exemptions include, a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the device.
• Smoking is prohibited unless it is within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site/improved site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barred or cleared of all flammable materials.
• Fireworks or another incendiary device are prohibited.
• Welding or operating acetylene or other torch devices with an open flame is prohibited.

Exemptions include:

• Any federal, state or local law enforcement officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting organization in the performance of an official duty.
• All land within a city boundary is exempted unless otherwise stated in a city ordinance.

All exemptions to these restrictions must be approved by the State Forester.

If local authorities have imposed stronger restrictions, then those listed above, than the local restrictions shall apply.

These restrictions apply to all permit and lease holders and other authorized users of state-managed lands. Restrictions do not apply to private lands under ARS § 37-1303.

For all statewide fire restriction information: https://wildlandfire.az.gov/. For more information, contact Tiffany Davila at 602-540-1036 or at [email protected]

The Miller Fire, located in the Secret Mountain Wilderness of the Coconino National Forest’s Red Rock Ranger District (RRRD) (GPS coordinates: 34°57'21.2"N 111°50'05.6"W), is now at roughly 19 acres.

It is creeping and smoldering upslope and to the southwest toward the south side of Secret Canyon and Maroon Mountain at a low rate of spread.

Crews assigned to the fire include one Hotshot crew, two engines and two helicopters.

Resources successfully established a control line on the eastern side of the fire in Secret Canyon Tuesday, helping to stop the fire from spreading any further east.

Crews plan to spend today and the next several days working to hold control lines on the east side of the fire and work to suppress fire growth to the south. Rough and rocky terrain and steep cliff faces create challenges for on-the-ground fire suppression efforts.

The fire was first reported on May 20, but due to weather conditions, aerial resources were not able to confirm the fire until Monday, May 22. The cause of the fire is currently undetermined.

There are no structures threatened by the fire and smoke will remain visible.

The RRRD is working to implement trail closures for forest visitor safety, but until formal closure orders are issued, visitors are asked to avoid the fire area, including the Secret Mountain Loop Trails (Secret Canyon #121, David Miller #164, Bear Sign #59 and Dry Creek #52), the HS Canyon Trail #50 and Long Canyon Trail #122.

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A mixture of moisture and sunny weather have presented excellent conditions for prescribed burning to continue on both the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts of the Kaibab National Forest. Starting Wednesday this week, treatments will resume on the Marteen Rx project located five miles northwest of Spring Valley and east of Red Hill.

Approximately 3000 acres remain on the Marteen project and fire managers hope to complete these last two blocks in two days. Crews may then move back to the Tusayan Ranger District to continue working on the Blue Stem Rx project located approximate 15 miles southeast of Tusayan.

As the Marteen burn resumes, smoke will be visible from Highway 180, State Route 64 near Howard Mesa, Valle, Red Lakes, and Spring Valley. Smoke is expected to transport northeast throughout the day, and then may settle on scene and to the south of Valle with light impacts to state route 64. This project is expected to be completed by Thursday afternoon.

Spring time weather patterns present beneficial opportunities for prescribed burning that help managers reach land management objectives while minimizing smoke impacts. Early seasonal breezes typically transport smoke away from sensitive areas rapidly which can often be more challenging at other times of the year.  

All prescribed fires are subject to approval by an agency administrator, and by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The department’s Air Quality Division: Smoke Management webpage provides details about its air quality program. To learn more about smoke and public health, visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness.
The Kaibab National Forest remains committed to providing the public with ongoing updates with as much advance notice as possible. Sign up to receive Kaibab NF news releases in your email.

Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Prescribed fires help reduce hazardous fuels that have accumulated due to drought, climate change, insects and disease, and decades of fire suppression. Fire also recycles nutrients back to the soil, promotes the growth of trees, wildflowers, and other plants, and improves habitat for threatened and endangered species. These efforts align with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy which aims to increase prescribed fire and other treatments to improve forest resiliency for generations to come.

Additional information can be found on the Kaibab NF website, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, or by calling the Fire Information Hotline at 928-635-8311 or contacting local ranger stations.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Ozone High Pollution Advisory for Monday, May 22 and Tuesday, May 23.

Restrictions

• Wood burning in residential fireplaces, chimeneas, outdoor fire pits, and similar outdoor fires is prohibited in Maricopa County. This includes individuals and businesses which have burn permits for open burning.
• Employees and contractors of government entities are prohibited from operating leaf blowers. Residents are encouraged to avoid leaf blowing.
• Off-road vehicle use should be avoided.

Take Action

• Drive as little as possible: carpool, use public transit, or telecommute. For information on transportation alternatives, visit Valley Metro: www.ShareTheRide.com.
• Fuel your vehicle after dark or during cooler evening hours.
• Reduce your time waiting in long drive-thru lines. For example, at coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, or banks. Park your vehicle and go inside.
• Use low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
• Delay big painting projects until HPAs have passed.
• Make sure containers of household cleaners, garage and yard chemicals and other solvents are sealed properly to prevent vapors from evaporating into the air.
• Eliminate wood burning in fireplaces, stoves, chimeneas, and outdoor fire pits.
• Avoid using leaf blowers. Use a rake or broom to keep debris out of the road and away from storm drains, ditches, and streams.
• Conserve electricity.

Transportation Coordinators

Due to unhealthy levels of ozone, Maricopa County Air Quality Department requests all Transportation Coordinators to email employees and activate your HPA plans. The department encourages the use of alternative modes of transportation, especially when pollution levels are expected to be on the rise.

Remind employees that they are encouraged to make more clean air. By taking small, simple steps every day, we can all make a difference. Additional tips on how to reduce air pollution can be found at www.CleanAirMakeMore.com.

Ozone: Ground level ozone is formed by a chemical reaction that needs heat from sunlight, nitrogen oxides and VOCs to form. The months of April through September make up our Valley’s longer-than-normal "ozone season."

 "High Pollution Advisory" or "HPA" means the highest concentration of pollution may exceed the federal health standard. Active children, adults and people with lung disease such as asthma should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Maricopa County employers enlisted in the Travel Reduction Program are asked to activate their HPA plans on high pollution advisory days.

Prescribed fire planned across the forests

The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is currently working to begin prescribed fire operations beginning May 22 through June 10, 2023. The following prescribed fires will be initiated if conditions and approvals allow:

Lakeside Ranger District:

• Lakeside Administrative Pile – May 22 through May 29. Location: Lakeside Ranger District. The plan is to burn two piles. The public should expect to see smoke from Highway 60, Highway 260 and the town of Pinetop-Lakeside.  Total acres: ¼ acre.
• Lakeside East-Doyle and Ecks Units – May 25 through June 10, 2023.

Location: three miles southwest of Vernon, AZ. Project boundary is along and within Forest Road 44, Forest Road 3D and Forest Road 5. The public should expect to see smoke from Highway 60 and possibly 260.

Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Prescribed fires provide habitat diversity, recycle plant nutrients into the soil, and encourage new growth for various plants used by wildlife and livestock. They also reduce forest surface fuels which lessen the threat of large-scale wildfire impacts on private lands and communities.

Smoke will be a consideration in the vicinity of the prescribed fires depending on the weather and caution should be used when traveling in the area. Information on air quality and active prescribed fires can be found on Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s webpage: https://azdeq.gov/.

Stay up to date on news from the A-S at our website https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf, on Twitter @A_SNFs and on facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs.

Map of Sitgreaves prescribed burn May 22 to June 10 2023.jpg

Map 2 of Sitgreaves prescribed burn May 22 to June 10 2023.jpg

 

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Ozone High Pollution Advisory for Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21.

Restrictions

• Wood burning in residential fireplaces, chimeneas, outdoor fire pits, and similar outdoor fires is prohibited in Maricopa County. This includes individuals and businesses which have burn permits for open burning.
• Employees and contractors of government entities are prohibited from operating leaf blowers. Residents are encouraged to avoid leaf blowing.
• Off-road vehicle use should be avoided.

Take Action

• Drive as little as possible: carpool, use public transit, or telecommute. For information on transportation alternatives, visit Valley Metro: www.ShareTheRide.com.
• Fuel your vehicle after dark or during cooler evening hours.
• Reduce your time waiting in long drive-thru lines. For example, at coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, or banks. Park your vehicle and go inside.
• Use low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
• Delay big painting projects until HPAs have passed.
• Make sure containers of household cleaners, garage and yard chemicals and other solvents are sealed properly to prevent vapors from evaporating into the air.
• Eliminate wood burning in fireplaces, stoves, chimeneas, and outdoor fire pits.
• Avoid using leaf blowers. Use a rake or broom to keep debris out of the road and away from storm drains, ditches, and streams.
• Conserve electricity.

Transportation Coordinators

Due to unhealthy levels of ozone, Maricopa County Air Quality Department requests all Transportation Coordinators to email employees and activate your HPA plans. The department encourages the use of alternative modes of transportation, especially when pollution levels are expected to be on the rise.

Remind employees that they are encouraged to make more clean air. By taking small, simple steps every day, we can all make a difference. Additional tips on how to reduce air pollution can be found at www.CleanAirMakeMore.com.

Ozone: Ground level ozone is formed by a chemical reaction that needs heat from sunlight, nitrogen oxides and VOCs to form. The months of April through September make up our Valley’s longer-than-normal "ozone season."

 "High Pollution Advisory" or "HPA" means the highest concentration of pollution may exceed the federal health standard. Active children, adults and people with lung disease such as asthma should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Maricopa County employers enlisted in the Travel Reduction Program are asked to activate their HPA plans on high pollution advisory days.

 

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Ozone High Pollution Advisory for Thursday, May 18 and Friday, May 19

Restrictions

• Wood burning in residential fireplaces, chimeneas, outdoor fire pits, and similar outdoor fires is prohibited in Maricopa County. This includes individuals and businesses which have burn permits for open burning.
• Employees and contractors of government entities are prohibited from operating leaf blowers. Residents are encouraged to avoid leaf blowing.
• Off-road vehicle use should be avoided.

Take Action

• Drive as little as possible: carpool, use public transit, or telecommute. For information on transportation alternatives, visit Valley Metro: www.ShareTheRide.com.
• Fuel your vehicle after dark or during cooler evening hours.
• Reduce your time waiting in long drive-thru lines. For example, at coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, or banks. Park your vehicle and go inside.
• Use low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
• Delay big painting projects until HPAs have passed.
• Make sure containers of household cleaners, garage and yard chemicals and other solvents are sealed properly to prevent vapors from evaporating into the air.
• Eliminate wood burning in fireplaces, stoves, chimeneas, and outdoor fire pits.
• Avoid using leaf blowers. Use a rake or broom to keep debris out of the road and away from storm drains, ditches, and streams.
• Conserve electricity.

Transportation Coordinators

Due to unhealthy levels of ozone, Maricopa County Air Quality Department requests all Transportation Coordinators to email employees and activate your HPA plans. The department encourages the use of alternative modes of transportation, especially when pollution levels are expected to be on the rise.

Remind employees that they are encouraged to make more clean air. By taking small, simple steps every day, we can all make a difference. Additional tips on how to reduce air pollution can be found at www.CleanAirMakeMore.com.

Ozone: Ground level ozone is formed by a chemical reaction that needs heat from sunlight, nitrogen oxides and VOCs to form. The months of April through September make up our Valley’s longer-than-normal "ozone season."

"High Pollution Advisory" or "HPA" means the highest concentration of pollution may exceed the federal health standard. Active children, adults and people with lung disease such as asthma should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Maricopa County employers enlisted in the Travel Reduction Program are asked to activate their HPA plans on high pollution advisory days.

PDEQ issues ozone air pollution action day

The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) is issuing a ground-level Ozone Action Day for the Tucson metropolitan area today. Individuals who are especially sensitive to ozone air pollution may experience shortness of breath, coughing, throat irritation, wheezing, and breathing discomfort.

If you are especially sensitive to ozone, you may want to limit your level of exertion outside between noon and 6 p.m. when elevated levels of ozone pollution are more likely to occur. Intense physical outdoor activity causes heavier breathing, which allows ozone to penetrate deeper in the lungs.

Those who are most likely to be sensitive to ozone include children, adults who are active outdoors, people with respiratory diseases, and certain individuals who have an unusual sensitivity to this particular pollutant. Those people who are feeling symptoms should seek medical attention, if necessary.

There are many types of emissions that generate ground-level ozone. Motor vehicle exhaust, industrial and power plant emissions, gasoline vapors, chemical solvents, as well as natural sources, emit oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) that form ozone in the presence of intense sunlight and heat.

Actions to reduce the production of ground level ozone:

• Reduce driving - combine errands into one trip.
• Ride the bus, walk, bike, or share a ride with friends and family.
• Avoid idling your vehicle’s engine.
• Re-fuel your car after dark or during cooler evening hours when vapors are less likely to form ozone.
• While re-fueling, always stop at the click.
• Make sure your gas cap is tightly sealed after re-fueling.
• Avoid using gas-powered lawn and gardening equipment.
• Check your tire pressure monthly and keep tires properly inflated for peak performance.
• Conserve electricity to reduce emissions from power plants.
• Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes, and paint strippers and ensure that they are sealed properly.

PDEQ’s Clean Air Program educates Pima County residents about the potential health effects associated with elevated levels of air pollution and promotes actions to reduce air pollution.

PDEQ monitors air pollution in our region at 16 air quality monitoring sites. Real-time air pollution levels are available online at the PDEQ website.

To receive Air Pollution Action Day advisories, sign up here.

To receive Arizona Department of Environmental Quality air quality forecasts, sign up here.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Ozone High Pollution Advisory for Wednesday, May 17

Restrictions

• Wood burning in residential fireplaces, chimeneas, outdoor fire pits, and similar outdoor fires is prohibited in Maricopa County. This includes individuals and businesses which have burn permits for open burning.
• Employees and contractors of government entities are prohibited from operating leaf blowers. Residents are encouraged to avoid leaf blowing.
• Off-road vehicle use should be avoided.

Take Action

• Drive as little as possible: carpool, use public transit, or telecommute. For information on transportation alternatives, visit Valley Metro: www.ShareTheRide.com.
• Fuel your vehicle after dark or during cooler evening hours.
• Reduce your time waiting in long drive-thru lines. For example, at coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, or banks. Park your vehicle and go inside.
• Use low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
• Delay big painting projects until HPAs have passed.
• Make sure containers of household cleaners, garage and yard chemicals and other solvents are sealed properly to prevent vapors from evaporating into the air.
• Eliminate wood burning in fireplaces, stoves, chimeneas, and outdoor fire pits.
• Avoid using leaf blowers. Use a rake or broom to keep debris out of the road and away from storm drains, ditches, and streams.
• Conserve electricity.

Transportation Coordinators

Due to unhealthy levels of ozone, Maricopa County Air Quality Department requests all Transportation Coordinators to email employees and activate your HPA plans. The department encourages the use of alternative modes of transportation, especially when pollution levels are expected to be on the rise.

Remind employees that they are encouraged to make more clean air. By taking small, simple steps every day, we can all make a difference. Additional tips on how to reduce air pollution can be found at www.CleanAirMakeMore.com.

Ozone: Ground level ozone is formed by a chemical reaction that needs heat from sunlight, nitrogen oxides and VOCs to form. The months of April through September make up our Valley’s longer-than-normal "ozone season."

 "High Pollution Advisory" or "HPA" means the highest concentration of pollution may exceed the federal health standard. Active children, adults and people with lung disease such as asthma should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Maricopa County employers enlisted in the Travel Reduction Program are asked to activate their HPA plans on high pollution advisory days.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Ozone High Pollution Advisory for Tuesday, May 16

Restrictions

• Wood burning in residential fireplaces, chimeneas, outdoor fire pits, and similar outdoor fires is prohibited in Maricopa County. This includes individuals and businesses which have burn permits for open burning.
• Employees and contractors of government entities are prohibited from operating leaf blowers. Residents are encouraged to avoid leaf blowing.
• Off-road vehicle use should be avoided.

Take Action

• Drive as little as possible: carpool, use public transit, or telecommute. For information on transportation alternatives, visit Valley Metro: www.ShareTheRide.com.
• Fuel your vehicle after dark or during cooler evening hours.
• Reduce your time waiting in long drive-thru lines. For example, at coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, or banks. Park your vehicle and go inside.
• Use low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
• Delay big painting projects until HPAs have passed.
• Make sure containers of household cleaners, garage and yard chemicals and other solvents are sealed properly to prevent vapors from evaporating into the air.
• Eliminate wood burning in fireplaces, stoves, chimeneas, and outdoor fire pits.
• Avoid using leaf blowers. Use a rake or broom to keep debris out of the road and away from storm drains, ditches, and streams.
• Conserve electricity.

Transportation Coordinators

• Due to unhealthy levels of ozone, Maricopa County Air Quality Department requests all Transportation Coordinators to email employees and activate your HPA plans. The department encourages the use of alternative modes of transportation, especially when pollution levels are expected to be on the rise.
• Remind employees that they are encouraged to make more clean air. By taking small, simple steps every day, we can all make a difference. Additional tips on how to reduce air pollution can be found at www.CleanAirMakeMore.com.