Arizona Emergency Information Network
Pile burns planned Wednesday, and Thursday
Coconino National Forest fire managers with the Flagstaff Ranger District plan to conduct pile burns today and tomorrow in several areas around the forest to take advantage of favorable weather conditions.
The piles to be burned are leftover slash from previous thinning projects and are ignited using drip torches and carefully monitored. Burning these piles help remove forest fuels and reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfire.
Smoke will be noticeable to people in the immediate areas of these pile burns, and impacts may be felt during the day in areas north/northeast of the piles due to the general wind direction coming from the southwest. In evening hours, smoke impacts will be felt in areas adjacent to the pile burns, as smoke tends to settle and flow like water to lower areas of elevation.
The following pile burns are planned for today, March 5:
- Aspen Walker Lake piles: located 14.5 miles northwest of Flagstaff.
- Fern Mountain piles: located 12.5 miles northwest of Flagstaff, near Hart Prairie Preserve.
- Hochderffer Aspen piles: located 14 miles northwest of Flagstaff, northeast of Arizona Nordic Village.
The following pile burns are planned for tomorrow, March 6:
- Mormon Lake Work Center piles: located at the Coconino NF Mormon Lake Work Center off Lake Mary Road, just south of Bennett Estates.
- Naval Observatory piles: located 4 miles west of Flagstaff and north of the Naval Observatory.
- Peaks Admin piles: located behind the Flagstaff Ranger Station across from the Flagstaff Mall.
- Pine Grove Admin piles: located 15 miles southeast of the Flagstaff, adjacent to Pine Grove Campground.
Areas of County Within Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest to Enter Stage 1 Fire Restrictions Friday
After consultation with Coconino County Emergency Management (CCEM), Forest Lakes Fire District, and the United States Forest Service (USFS), areas of Coconino County within the boundaries of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest will enter Stage 1 Fire Restrictions at 8 a.m. Friday, February 28, 2025.
This decision, per Coconino County’s Wildfire Defense Ordinance, follows similar Stage 1 fire restrictions enacted by USFS, Navajo County, and Apache County and will apply to all private property within the boundaries of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. This includes the unincorporated community of Forest Lakes and all private campgrounds and recreation areas.
“Coconino County implements fire restrictions to help prevent unwanted, human-caused fires. CCEM continues to work closely with our fire mitigation partners at the federal, state, and local levels to determine if fire restrictions are needed, and if so, to what extent,” said Tim Carter, acting Emergency Management Director. “In coordination with the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests’ decision to enter Stage 1 restrictions, Coconino County will also enact Stage 1 restrictions for all private lands within the boundaries of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in southeastern Coconino County.”
Under the County’s Stage 1 restrictions igniting, building, or maintaining a fire fueled by combustible materials such as wood, charcoal, briquettes, and/or coal is strictly prohibited, except within a developed recreation site. Smoking is also prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle, building, or a developed recreation site. The use of tracer or incendiary rounds of ammunition or explosive targets is also strictly prohibited. Fireworks are always prohibited on all National Forest and State lands.
Using a device that is solely fueled by pressurized liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off is allowed only in a developed recreation site. A developed recreation site is defined in the County’s Wildfire Defense Ordinance as an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 15 feet of the device.
“Wildfire mitigation is the responsibility of all of us,” added Carter. “Now is a great time to improve defensible space around structures, clear pine needles and debris, and never leave fires unattended.”
For information on Coconino County’s Stage 1, 2, and 3 fire restrictions please visit: www.coconino.az.gov/firerestrictions.
Additional information about the stages of fire restrictions, Forest Orders, and general forest conditions are available for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest are available here: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf
*/ /*-->*/ Source Coconino County February 27, 2025 - 05:05pm Keyword Stage 1 fire restrictions Coconino County wildfire prevention Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest fire mitigation burn ban defensible space fire safety emergency management recreation sites.
Fuels projects support wildfire risk reduction underway in Yavapai County
The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) continues its ongoing efforts to protect Arizona’s residents and critical infrastructure with two fuels reduction projects in Yavapai County.
Ruger Ranch Phase 2
The 2,500-acre Ruger Ranch Phase 2 fuels reduction project spans north of Peeples Valley, southwest of Kirkland Junction, and west of SR 89.
The project, located on State Trust land, involves mastication work to reduce dense Chaparral within the large-scale treatment area. DFFM Foresters developed the project to protect Yavapai County’s rural communities of Kirkland, Peeples Valley, and Skull Valley from catastrophic wildfires.
Project work is expected to be completed by July 2025 pending no delays due to weather or fire restrictions. Residents in the Ruger Ranch area should expect to see contractor traffic near Ruger and Sorrells Roads, off SR 89.
Granite Oaks Phase 2
This 960-acre project is currently underway 9 miles northwest of Prescott and 2.5 miles southeast of the Williamson community.
Project goals include, reducing the connectivity of dense and hazardous fuels within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) through mastication work. Masticators are heavy pieces of equipment used to break apart and chip vegetation such as shrubs and small woody trees. Mastication helps break up fuel continuity which decreases fire spread and reduces a fire’s intensity.
Granite Oaks is a strategically designed project which provides wildland firefighters safer and more manageable fire suppression operations and ultimately, reduces the threat of high intensity fire burning through the area. Project operations take place on State Trust land parcels north and east of the community of Granite Oaks and will complement previous fuels mitigation efforts that border the Granite Oaks community.
There are no road closures associated with this project, but area residents should be mindful of heavy equipment traveling the roads.
The project is expected to be completed by December 2025 pending delays for fire restrictions, fire activity, or weather.
Ruger Ranch Phase 2 and Granite Oaks Phase 2 projects are just two of many hazardous fuels reduction projects for the agency that fall within DFFM’s prioritized objectives and mission to protect neighborhoods and communities from wildfire, improve the health of Arizona’s native vegetation and forests, and safeguard critical infrastructure.
Follow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/arizonaforestry
Follow us on Twitter – https://x.com/azstateforestry
Download or mobile phone application – https://www.apexmobile.net/app/azdffm/
For more information, contact Tiffany Davila at 602-540-1036 or by email at [email protected].
