Prescribed fire treatment on the North Rim (NPS Photo/E. Keable)
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Grand Canyon National Park fire managers—working with staff from the Kaibab National Forest and Bureau of Land Management, anticipate initiating prescribed fire treatments from October 16-31, on the North Rim, as weather and fuel moisture conditions allow.
On Thursday, Oct. 16, ignitions will occur on the Atoko Point unit, located on the far eastern edge of the Walhalla Plateau. The north and east boundary consist of the canyon rim edges and encompass Roosevelt Point, Atoko Point, and Naji Point. The southern boundary will be ~300ft of handline where the plateau necks down tightly between Cape Royal Rd. and canyon rim edge. The western edge is bound by the Cape Royal Road from Roosevelt Point to the handline segment. This project totals an area of 1,700 acres and is anticipated to conclude on or around Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Smoke from both project areas will be visible during ignition operations and will likely diminish after ignitions are completed. Smoke impacts are anticipated along the Cape Royal Road. Smoke may also impact the North Rim developed area and the inner canyon from Bright Angel to Clear Creek.Fire managers are working with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality-Smoke Management Division to reduce and mitigate potential smoke impacts.
The Cape Royal Road will be closed October 16-18, after which drivers traveling along the Cape Royal Road are advised to move along the highway slowly with their lights on, avoid stopping in areas where fire personnel are working and follow directions of signs and personnel. There are no road closures anticipated, but traffic control or one-way traffic may be implemented if smoke impacts cause unsafe driving conditions.
Prescribed fires play an important role in decreasing risks to life, resources, and property. Fire managers carefully plan prescribed fires, initiating them only under environmental conditions that are favorable to firefighter and visitor safety and achieving the desired objectives. Prescribed fire objectives include reducing accumulations of hazard fuels, maintaining the natural role of fire in a fire-adapted ecosystem, and protection of sensitive natural and cultural resources.
For additional information, visit the Grand Canyon Fire Information webpage
— Grand Canyon National Park, in northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on the ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world—unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site. The National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.