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Fire managers planning prescribed burns across Coconino National Forest next week as a weather window of opportunity opens for safe implementation

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FLAGSTAFF  — Up to four prescribed burn projects are planned across Coconino National Forest next week to reduce hazardous forest fuels and reduce the risk of wildfires to many northern Arizona communities (listed below in chronological order).

Prescribed burns are always dependent upon multiple conditions, including personnel availability, fuel conditions, weather and approval from the Arizona Department of Environment Quality. Prescribed burns may be changed or canceled last-minute if burn conditions do not meet criteria outlined in advance.

Should wind and weather conditions become unfavorable, ignitions will be halted, and project plans will be postponed, changed or canceled.

For the latest information at any time of the day, details and updates about all prescribed burn projects can be found on the Coconino NF Prescribed Burn Projects InciWeb page, which is updated any time new information is available.

 

Flagstaff Urban Interface South – Campbell Mesa

  • Dates: April 14, 2025.
  • Location: Flagstaff Ranger District. 7 miles east of Flagstaff adjacent to the neighborhoods of Continental/Country Club
  • Size: 503 acres.
  • Type of Burn: Broadcast initial entry and maintenance burn. Broadcastburning means firefighters will spread the fire across the landscape using drip torches, effectively “broadcasting” the fire with low intensity across the landscape. Initial entry burns mean it has been an extended amount of time since fire has last been applied to the landscape, which can lead to thicker and darker smoke as larger amounts of forest debris are consumed by fire. Some areas will consist of maintenance burning, which means the area has seen fire recently and smoke impacts from those areas will be lighter. Maintenance burning means fire has moved across that particular landscape within at least the last decade. Maintenance burns are used to “maintain” an area and typically produce less smoke due to the lesser amount of forest fuels present.
  • Smoke Impacts: Smoke impacts to Doney park and Cosnino are expected but should be light. Impacts to Interstate 40 is expected at night.
  • Why: This prescribed burn will reduce hazardous fuels in the area, creating a fire-resilient ecosystem. By reducing hazardous fuels, such as pine litter and dried needle cast, during times of cooler weather and lower winds, fire managers can create a buffer zone to safeguard east Flagstaff homes and infrastructure from the risk of catastrophic wildfire during peak wildfire season.
  • Notes: Some trails of the Campbell Mesa system within the burn area will be closed during the dates of burning.

 

Horseshoe Maxwell Springs

  • Dates: April 14 or 15, 2025.
  • Location: Flagstaff Ranger District. 1.5 miles north of Bellemont.
  • Size: 840 acres.
  • Type of Burn: Broadcast initial entry and maintenance burn.
  • Smoke Impacts: Possible smoke impacts to U.S. Highway 180 in and around the Fort Valley area during the day and at night smoke impacts possible to Bellemont and I-40 in the Bellemont area.
  • Why: This prescribed burn will reduce hazardous fuels in the area, creating a fire-resilient ecosystem to help protect the communities of Bellemont, Fort Valley, and Flagstaff from catastrophic wildfires.

 

Upper Beaver Creek

  • Dates: April 15-17, 2025.
  • Location: Red Rock Ranger District. 10 miles east of the Village of Oak Creek, just south of Stoneman Lake.
  • Size: 2,008 acres total over three days.
  • Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn.
  • Smoke Impacts: Daytime ignitions will produce smoke visible from I-17 north of Camp Verde and south of Munds Park. Smoke will be visible from Forest Road 213 (Stoneman Lake Road) and the Stoneman Lake Community. Smoke could settle into the Beaver Creek Drainage to the south, and transport east to Lake Mary Road and the Happy Jack area.
  • Why: This burn project is to reduce hazardous fuels around the Stoneman Lake community and improve range land habitat in the Apache Maid and Upper Beaver Creek range allotments.
  • Notes: No official closures. However, the public is encouraged to stay out of immediate surrounding area. Overnight camping and recreation activities could be very smoky.

 

Blue Ridge Urban Interface

  • Date: April 17-18, 2025.
  • Location: Mogollon Rim Ranger District. 7 miles northeast of Clints Well.
  • Size: 3,181 acres total over two days.
  • Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn.
  • Smoke Impacts: In the evening and early morning hours after the burn, smoke will likely impact state Route 87 between mile markers 295 – 302. Smoke will also impact the greater Blue Ridge and Clear Creek Pines communities during those times.
  • Why: This prescribed burn will reduce hazardous fuels accumulated around the community of Blue Ridge and limit the potential for catastrophic wildfires. This project incorporates and develops the protection plan for the Blue Ridge Community.
  • Notes: The Arizona National Scenic Trail will be rerouted to Forest Road 211 to go around the burn area.