Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests prepares for prescribed fires on Clifton Ranger District

The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are planning prescribed fire operations this week pending all required approvals.

Favorable weather conditions are in place for hazardous fuels reduction work

Contributed Article/Courtesy USDA

SPRINGERVILLE — The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are planning prescribed fire operations this week pending all required approvals. We estimate this work to continue throughout the week as weather conditions allow. We use prescribed fires to help reduce overgrown vegetation and protect local communities, infrastructure, and natural resources from wildfires.

Clifton Ranger District:

  • East Eagle Rx project – 200 acres to help secure control lines for future project implementation.  The location is near Baldy Bill Point, approximately 10 miles south of Hannagan Meadow, and 2 miles west of AZ State Hwy 191 on the south side of FR 54 (map attached).

Those areas may be closed to the public for several days for public safety. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns.

Smoke may be visible from portions of AZ State Hwy 191, the community along Eagle Creek, and Honeymoon Campground. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road.

We will evaluate weather conditions in the hours leading up to a burn. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be canceled.

Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fires through the forest website, social media channels, and InciWeb, the interagency incident information system. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning begins.

About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has, for more than 100 years, brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.