FLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX) plans to conduct a prescribed burn of approximately 72 acres on Observatory Mesa tomorrow, Tuesday, November 2, 2021.
With light winds from the west forecasted, smoke may impact central Flagstaff during the day and settle overnight into the downtown, Southside, Railroad Springs and Northern Arizona University campus areas. For more information on smoke and air quality, please visit http://www.azdeq.gov/WildfireForecast or https://legacy.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/.
Trails in the area, including the Tunnel Springs section of the Flagstaff Urban Trail System, will be closed.
Flagstaff Fire Department Wildland Section staff are leading this prescribed burn, with assistance from the Flagstaff Fire Department Fuels Crew, Summit Fire District, Highland Fire District’s Bear Jaw Crew and TREX participants from other fire departments. TREX participants spent the past week learning about wildland fire history and conditions in the Flagstaff area and preparing the Observatory Mesa Project area for the prescribed burn this week.
The prescribed burn area was thinned five years ago as part of the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project. A detailed prescribed fire plan was developed to re-introduce fire that will burn across the forest floor, as frequent, low-intensity fire removes accumulated smaller fuels and recycles nutrients in the soils to promote healthy vegetation and wildlife habitat. This approach helps to restore forests to healthier conditions and improve the safety of the communities around them.
For any related questions, please contact Neil Chapman, Wildland Forest Health Supervisor, at 928-213-2512 or Neil.Chapman@flagstaffaz.gov.