All interested citizens are invited to attend the public hearing on the tax increase that is scheduled to be held virtually via the Zoom platform on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at 6:00 pm. People can join the meeting by link or phone listed below.
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85261923910 or call Dial 833 548 0282 (Toll Free), Webinar ID: 852 6192 3910.
The Coconino County Diversity Team presents Coconino County Diversity Week June 20 through 24.
As Coconino County residents begin to return to their homes in the aftermath of the Pipeline and Haywire fires, the County’s Flood Control District would like to make the entire community aware of the potential risk of flooding, and the steps the public can take to mitigate their property and be Flood Aware.
Residents may already be familiar with the 3 Step “Ready, Set, Go” wildfire system of preparedness and evacuation. For the risk of flooding, a similar, easy-to-remember system of “Ready, Set, Shelter” is helpful to prepare for and respond to flood events:
The City of Flagstaff is hosting a community volunteer day in areas downstream of the Museum Fire burn scar on Saturday, June 25. Volunteers will be assisting residents who are elderly or have a disability repair their emergency sandbag mitigation.To request volunteer assistance, please call 928-213-2102 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Resources are limited, and crews will address as many properties as time and resources allow.
Volunteers should meet at the Coconino County Health and Human Services building, located at 2625 N. King St. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. There will be no afternoon shift during this event. Volunteers are encouraged to wear sturdy shoes, pants, and sun protection, and to bring a refillable water bottle, a face covering for dust, and work gloves if available.
he Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce the following areas will be downgraded from “GO” to “SET” status.
The areas identified as Crater Estates, Moon Crater, West Alpine Ranchos, the Private Properties along Hwy 89 north from Wupatki Trails to Sacred Mountain Trading Post will be downgraded from “GO” to “SET” status. It is important to note that much of the National Forest Land in that area remains closed due to the Coconino National Forest Emergency Fire Closure Order.
In addition, the following areas will be downgraded from “SET” to “READY” status: East Alpine Ranchos and Hwy 89 north from Sacred Mountain Trading Post/Medicine Valley.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in authorization of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for infants and young children.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in authorization of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for infants and young children.
The CDC approved Emergency Use Authorization for the vaccines as follows:
Coconino County entered Stage 3 Fire Restrictions at 3 p.m. Friday, June 17, 2022. The restrictions apply for all of Coconino County.
Fire restrictions are enacted to help protect public health and safety by reducing the number of human-caused wildfires.
This ordinance applies to unincorporated areas, namely that part of Coconino County outside the corporate limits of any municipality, federally owned land, or any federally recognized tribe in accordance with 25 Code of Federal Regulations part 83.
Stage 3 Fire Restrictions prohibit any combustion, open fire, charcoal, propane, and campfires in unincorporated areas and residences in the County.
Also see: City of Flagstaff — Sandbags available for residents impacted by Museum Fire flooding
COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino County Flood Control District (District) has set up several sandbag stations in the Pipeline Fire Area for residents to install around their homes in preparation of post-wildfire flooding.
Sandbags and sandbag materials are currently available at the Copeland Detention Basin, the entrance of which is located just off of Hwy 89 at Copeland Lane.
The Copeland Detention Basin has both a self-serve sandbag station and pre-made sandbags. The self-serve station includes empty sandbags and fill material.
Grand Canyon Star Party 2022
The 32nd annual Grand Canyon Star Party will be held from Saturday, June 18, 2022, through Saturday, June 25, 2022, on both South and North rims of Grand Canyon National Park. National parks such as Grand Canyon are protective havens for some of the last remaining dark skies in the United States. This is the first onsite event since 2019.
The event is sponsored by the National Park Service, the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (South Rim), and the Saguaro Astronomy Club of Phoenix (North Rim), with funding from Grand Canyon Conservancy and in partnership with the International Dark-Sky Association.
Amateur astronomers from across the country will volunteer their telescopes and expertise for the enjoyment of park visitors. Numerous telescopes will offer views of planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, as well as double stars, star clusters, nebulae, distant galaxies—and the Moon, earlier in the week. By day, keep an eye out for solar telescopes pointed at the sun. Weather permitting, expect spectacular views of the universe!
For additional information on the Grand Canyon Star Party visit http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/grand-canyon-star-party.htm, or contact Rader Lane at 928-638-7641.
Come celebrate Juneteenth with music performances, food, games and vendors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 18 at the Flagstaff Murdoch Center, 203 E. Brannen Ave., Flagstaff.
Hosted by the Coconino County African Diaspora Advisory Council, the Flagstaff Lived Black Experience Project, and the Southside Community Association (SCA).
The City of Flagstaff is hosting a community volunteer day in areas downstream of the Museum Fire burn scar on Saturday, June 18. Volunteers will be assisting residents who are elderly or have a disability repair their emergency sandbag mitigation. To request volunteer assistance, please call 928-213-2102 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Resources are limited, and crews will address as many properties as time and resources allow.
Open Water Swimming with Mitch Driebe
TODAY, Thursday, June 16, 2022, at 4:00pm
This lecture is now online only via Zoom webinar
Imagine swimming from Alcatraz to the shores of San Francisco. Think you can do it? If you do… well, maybe you should tune into this lecture first. Learn about the elements of open water swimming and hear stories from Mitch’s experience.
Learn more and register here
Preliminary flood hazard modeling of areas impacted by the Pipeline Fire indicates an increased risk of flooding for some neighborhoods within Flagstaff City limits. Specifically, residents whose homes are in the neighborhoods of Creighton Estates, Forest Hills, Cheshire, Coyote Springs, Anasazi Ridge, Coconino Estates, Ridge Crest, North End, Downtown Flagstaff or Southside and whose homes are located within a FEMA Zone A, AE, AH, or shaded X should immediately purchase or maintain flood insurance. Homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage and coverage must be purchased separately.
A map of Flagstaff neighborhoods is available at https://bit.ly/3xWzDSF. A map of FEMA floodplain designations by address is available at https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home.
After meeting with the Great Basin Type 1 team managing the Pipeline and Haywire Fires, it has been determined that it is safe to downgrade some areas on evacuation status.
The following changes will be effective immediately:
oconino and Kaibab national forests will temporarily close certain areas to public access beginning Friday and Saturday due to fire danger and for public safety, while all other parts of the national forests outside of the closure areas remain in Stage 2 fire restrictions.
On the Kaibab National Forest, the area of Bill Williams Mountain will be closed beginning Friday, June 17 at 8 a.m. Specifically, public access will be prohibited on all National Forest System lands, roads, and trails within the closure area, generally located between County Road (CR) 73, Old Route 66 in the City of Williams, Forest Road (FR) 122, FR 108, and I-40. This includes Benham Trail, Bixler Saddle Trail, Bill Williams Mountain Trail, Bill Williams Connector Trail, Buckskinner Trail, City of Williams Link Trail, Devil Dog Loop Trail, and Clover Spring Loop Trail. Forest Road 122 will also be closed. FR 108 will remain drivable; however, motorists cannot park off the road.
Be part of ArtWalk this fall!
Creative Flagstaff invites organizations and artists to submit a proposal for an art/science/culture performance or exhibition for First Friday Artwalk programming in Heritage Square to take place in one of the following months: September, October, or November of 2022. Three proposals will be selected, one each for September, October, November, and will be compensated $1,500. Don’t wait – the deadline for submissions is June 24, 2022!
The City of Flagstaff will enter Stage 3 Fire Restrictions at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 17.
Stage 3 Fire Restrictions include the following new restrictions:
The use of propane and gas BBQs (including those with an on-off switch) is prohibited in City parks, open spaces, and private campgrounds.
The use of propane and gas BBQs (including those with an on-off switch) are allowed at private residences EXCEPT during a Red Flag Warning.
Public access to sections of the Flagstaff Urban Trails System (FUTS) that provide an entrance into any closed area of the Coconino National Forest is prohibited.
In the event of a complete closure of the Coconino National Forest, public entry/use of Observatory Mesa and Picture Canyon City Open Space lands is prohibited.
Family friendly pride festival honoring acceptance, diversity, community and fun. 12 p.m.-9 p.m.
Education Forward Arizona conducted a poll of Arizona voters to better understand voters’ priorities for education. The survey complements and is intended to go deeper on the findings in the Arizona Voters’ Agenda, in coordination with the Center for the Future of Arizona. The survey was conducted May 10-17, 2022 by HighGround Public Affairs on behalf of Education Forward Arizona, a statewide nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.
What we found is that Arizonans deeply care most about the issues that will support good teaching and learning, not the political hot button issues that often get the most attention. Voters want to see candidates discussing key education issues, many of which are aligned with meeting the Arizona Education Progress Meter and Achieve60AZ attainment goals.
Here’s what we heard from Arizona voters:
There remains a very strong likelihood of hazardous flash flooding as a result of the Museum Fire. The hydrology consultant for the Coconino County Flood Control District (District) recently conducted a post-fire flood risk analysis that validated the original model used to gauge flood risk in the Museum Flood Area and determined that the area remains at high risk for hazardous flash flooding. It must be noted that floodwaters can create unpredictable changes, which can create new flood paths, which cannot be predicted.
The Type 1 Great Basin Incident Management Team (IMT) 2 has arrived at the Pipeline and Haywire fires, and is shadowing the Type 2 California Interagency IMT 15. The Type 1 team will assume command of the incident 6 a.m. Thursday.
The Pipeline Fire is currently 22,888 acres with 31% containment and the Haywire Fire is estimated at 5,065 acres with no containment.
While critical fire weather continues due to dry conditions and high temperatures, lower wind speeds allowed aerial operations to resume and continue throughout the day.
The Museum Fire flood area siren alerting system has been installed in the Grandview Homes and Sunnyside neighborhoods and full-volume testing has been scheduled for Friday, June 17 from 12 – 2 p.m. During the full-volume testing period, residents in the area will hear an alarm sound, followed by a voice message repeated three times in both English and Spanish, concluding with a wind down siren sound signifying the end of that message. This process may repeat several times during the testing period. Testing may be postponed in the event of rain or impacts from nearby wildfires.
It is important to note that the wind down siren sound does not signify the end of the threat of a flood event. To hear the siren sounds that will be used or to read more about the Museum Fire flood area siren alerting system, please visit https://www.museumfloodprojects.com/sirensystem.
For the past 12 years, the names have accumulated like a litany of destruction: Schultz. Slide. Tinder. Museum. Tunnel.
Now, less than two months after the last major wildfire left our mountains glowing red at night and our skies dark with smoke during the day, we have two more names to add to this sad list – Pipeline and Haywire.
The situation northeast of Flagstaff is still very fluid. The latest statistics from InciWeb (the US Forest Service site that tracks wildfires nationwide) indicate that 20,000 acres have burned in the Pipeline Fire with another 4,000 charred by Haywire.
Evacuation statuses have shifted back and forth as officials receive more information, but even those who were allowed to return to their homes Tuesday were warned to be ready to leave again at a moment’s notice. At this point, we know two structures have burned since Sunday.
NAU welcoming two new Flinn Scholars
Emily Delabarra and Kaya Dickson will join the other Flinn Scholars on campus, giving NAU a record six scholars. This prestigious scholarship, which has an acceptance rate of less than 2 percent, offers funding for four years of school as well as mentoring and study abroad opportunities.
Coconino County — June 14, 2022 — The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce that the neighborhoods of Fernwood Estates, Hutchison Acres, Swede Acres, and Johnson Ranch has been moved from “GO” to “SET” evacuation status. Residents in these…
The Pipeline Fire, located 6 miles north of Flagstaff, started Sunday, June 12, and has spread to over 5,000 acres due to extremely high winds.
Additionally, the Haywire Fire, located 8 miles northeast of Flagstaff, ignited in the early hours of Monday, June 13, and is currently at 1,600 acres in size. A U.S. Forest Service Type 2 Incident Management Team is currently on site for each fire. A Type 1 Incident Management Team has been ordered.
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has evacuated many communities in the fire area. Click here for the most current information on evacuation status:
https://coconinocounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=745e7806b 0444387bf32792b9c25e169
Buffalo Park and the Schultz Creek Natural Area are closed until further notice due to the Pipeline Fire. The Observatory Mesa Natural Area is also closed until further notice due to being surrounded by the Coconino National Forest Temporary Area Closure.
Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS) entrances into the National Forest Temporary Area Closure are also closed. To view a map of the City of Flagstaff closures of FUTS entrances and open spaces, please visit https://flagstaff.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/sidebar/index.html?appid=f478005aa53048438453f3c7dc08155c
