SOUTHWESTERN-NEWS-RELEASE: Coconino National Forest Smoke Information

[Brienne U Magee <bmagee@xxxxxxxxx>]

The Coconino National Forest has established
this method of notifying you of planned and current fuels treatment activities
on the forest. For confirmation or for more information, please visit our
"Current Conditions" page of the Coconino National Forest web-site.
You may click 
this link http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/conditions/current-rx.shtml,
or use the "shortcut" to our main page: www.coconinoforest.us

The Coconino County Health Department provides information about smoke
concerns and offers suggestions for minimizing smoke impacts to your family
and home at the following website http://www.coconino.az.gov/health.aspx?id=6564.


January 11, 2011
Prescribed pile burns south of Flagstaff
this week

Flagstaff, AZ – Coconino NF fire
managers are planning prescribed pile burns near Mountainaire tomorrow
and in Oak Creek Canyon Thursday and Friday, pending favorable conditions
and approval from ADEQ.

Mountainaire Project – 125 acres
of piles located northeast of Mountainaire, southwest of Lake Mary Road
(Forest Highway 3). The forecast winds will move the smoke to the south
and southeast. Some smoke may impact Mountainaire and Lake Mary Road.

Oak Creek Canyon – Smoke will be
noticeable on Hwy 89A during ignition, but should dissipate quickly. 

Slash piles consist of the small branches
and debris from forest thinning projects and are typically burned during
the winter when precipitation on the ground helps keep fire from spreading
to the surrounding vegetation. 

Fire managers work hard to balance the critical
need for reducing the risk of severe wildfires with the importance of minimizing
smoke impacts to communities. The Coconino National Forest coordinates
prescribed fire plans with the partners in the Ponderosa Fire Advisory
Council (which includes local fire departments), as well as neighboring
forests, to reduce the overall impact of smoke on the communities. 

All prescribed fire activity is dependent
on personnel availability, weather – including ventilation conditions,
and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (www.azdeq.gov).



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