FLAGSTAFF — A prescribed burn will be conducted by the Flagstaff Fire Department near the Naval Observatory on Wednesday, Oct. 18. The burn will target approximately 80 aces on the northern side of the observatory area. Resources on scene will include the City Wildland Fire Management Module, two Type 6 wildland engines, one US Forest Service wildland engine, the Highlands Fire Department Bear Jaw Crew, and the Arizona State Wildland Crew.
Residents and visitors can expect smoke to be visible in the area. Smoke from the prescribed burn is expected to drift in a southern direction away from I-40. No closures of roads or FUTS trails are anticipated.
Prescribed burns help to restore forests to healthier conditions and improve the safety of the communities around them. Frequent, low-intensity fire removes accumulated smaller fuels and recycles nutrients in the soils to promote healthy vegetation and wildlife habitat. While some prescribed burns take place in remote locations, others, like this prescribed burn, target small, forested areas directly next to neighborhoods and other developments within a community.
For more information on the benefits of prescribed burns, please visit Flagstaff.az.gov/4893/Prescribed-Fire. For any related questions, please contact Mark Adams, Wildland Community Risk Reduction Specialist, at 928-213-2510 orMark.Adams@flagstaffaz.gov.