Arizona Forestry Conducting Prescribed Fire Projects Next Week
Phoenix, AZ (1/31/2025) – The recent moisture across the state provides an opportunity for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) to begin two prescribed fire projects on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. The projects include a pile burn operation east of Flagstaff and a broadcast burn southwest of Buckeye. In total, project managers plan to treat approximately 30 acres and each project should take one day to complete.
Flagstaff Programmatic Pile Burn:
The Flagstaff Programmatic Pile Burn is a 20-acre project intended to reduce debris piles leftover from prior fuels mitigation on State Trust land. Pile burning helps further safeguard nearby infrastructure and private lands and provides a more efficient way to reduce that leftover debris. DFFM hand crews already started project prep work around the piles. The project is located on the east side of Flagstaff and one mile south of I-40. Project managers expect winds to push smoke to the northeast with very minimal smoke impacts to nearby neighborhoods or the interstate. Ignitions are expected to start around 9:00 am and should be completed by the late afternoon.
Arlington RX Fire:
The Arlington prescribed burn is a 10-acre broadcast burn designed to reduce hazardous fuel and invasive species within the Arlington Wildlife Area. The project also aids with habitat restoration to the wildlife areas. Project managers expect some smoke impacts to the communities of Buckeye, Goodyear, and Arlington due to forecast winds out of the southeast. Ignitions are expected to begin late morning with project work completed by the end of the day. The project is located southwest of Arlington and approximately 15 miles southwest of Buckeye.
Prescribed fires are an effective tool to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. At the same time they help improve the health of Arizona’s forests, provide for watershed protection, and enhancement of wildlife habitats. Prescribed fires act as a cleansing mechanism to remove ground litter, invasive species, and overcrowded vegetation. All prescribed fire projects whether pile burns or broadcast burns are weather dependent. DFFM works closely with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to ensure safe burning conditions with minimal smoke impacts. All projects must have approval from ADEQ prior to ignitions. Prescribed burns are weather dependent and can be cancelled or rescheduled due to unfavorable weather conditions.
For day-of prescribed fire project information:
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For more information, contact Tiffany Davila at 602-540-1036 or by email at tdavila@dffm.az.gov
