SOUTHWESTERN-NEWS-RELEASE: Coconino National Forest Smoke Information

[Brienne U Magee <bmagee@xxxxxxxxx>]

NEWS RELEASE
               
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
U.S. Forest Service
Coconino National Forest
www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino
               
               
www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF
www.flickr.com/photos/coconinonationalforest

For Immediate Release
July 29, 2011
        
Contact: Brienne Magee
Tel: 928-527-8290

Coconino NF Fire Activity Update

Flagstaff, AZ – Several low-intensity
fires on the Coconino National Forest are continuing to burn under conditions
favorable for resource objectives.  An additional fire, the Zeus Fire
was started yesterday by a lightning strike.  

Due to the severity of recent fires in the
state, the Coconino National Forest recognizes there may be some concerns
regarding the management of these fires and maintaining public safety.
 “We are monitoring conditions on a day-to-day basis and plan to
continue our strategy of managing these fires as long as weather and fuel
conditions allow us to do it safely while accomplishing our objectives,”
said Russ Copp, Fire Management Officer for the Coconino National Forest.

Bolt Fire 
The bolt fire is no longer growing in size
and activity and smoke production are minimal, and will continue to decrease
over the next several days.
Bolt Fire Facts
Behavior: Isolated smoldering of logs.
The fire is not increasing in size and smoke is minimal.  Fire activity
is expected to continue to decline. Crews will monitor this fire until
it is out.
Start Date: July 11, 2011
Location: Approximately 6 miles northeast
of Munds Park, off Forest Road 132A
Size: 1,700 acres

Rocky Fire
Crews continue to monitor the Rocky Fire,
which received some light rain and continues to burn at a low intensity.
 This fire is being managed by the Red Rock Ranger District.
Rocky Fire Facts
Behavior: Light. The fire is staying
in the ponderosa pine understory.
Start Date: July 18, 2011
Location: Off Stoneman lake Road,
near Rocky Gulch
Size: 100 acres

Sandrock Fire
Two hotshot crews and two engines are managing
this fire; the crews are constructing line along the north perimeter of
the planning area boundary.  If favorable weather conditions continue,
fire managers are planning to use some ignitions along Highway 260 and
Highway 87 to burn the area when smoke dispersal is best, thereby minimizing
smoke impacts to the highway.  These ignitions would be done by hand,
using drip-torches.  These ignitions may continue into next week and
would increase the overall volume of smoke coming off the fire.  This
fire is being managed by the Mogollon Rim Ranger District.
Sandrock Fire Facts
Behavior: Light. The fire is
staying in the ponderosa pine understory.  
Start Date: July 21, 2011
Location: off Highway 260, near Twenty-Nine
Mile Lake
Size: 200 acres

Scout Fire
The fire received a light rain yesterday
and is burning at a low to moderate intensity.  The fire is visible
from Payson.  One engine will continue to monitor this fire, which
is being managed by the Mogollon Rim Ranger District.
Scout Fire Facts
Behavior: Light. The fire is
staying in the ponderosa pine understory.  There are heavy pockets
of pine needles within the perimeter of the fire.  When these pockets
burn, intermittent periods of heavier smoke will be produced.
Start Date: July 21, 2011
Location: Near Forest Road 141H and
Forest Road 320
Size: 100 acres

Zeus Fire
The Zeus Fire is within the planning area
for the Sandrock Fire, and the two will be managed together.
Zeus Fire Facts
Behavior:  Light.  The fire
is staying in the ponderosa pine understory.
Start Date: July 28, 2011
Location: off Highway 260, near Twenty-Nine
Mile Lake
Size: 1 acre

Fire behavior is expected to stay light through
the weekend due to higher humidity and thunderstorms moving through the
area. Fire managers recognize the need to minimize smoke impacts to the
communities as much as possible and will use several tactics to do so while
managing these wildfires including slowing fire growth and intensity when
ventilation conditions aren’t as favorable, and conducting firing operations
earlier in the day to allow the majority of smoke to disperse before nightfall.

To learn more about fire and smoke activity
on the Coconino National Forest, visit www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino
or contact your local ranger station. 
Mogollon Rim Ranger Station (Blue Ridge):
928-477-2255  
Red Rock Ranger Station (Sedona): 928-203-7500
Flagstaff Ranger Station: 928-526-0866

###

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

To receive official Forest Service information by e-mail, please subscribe by visiting http://www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription/

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, please visit http://www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription

If you wish to make changes to an existing account, please visit http://www.fs.fed.us/news/changes.shtml