State Conducting Prescribed Burn in Altar Valley
Phoenix, AZ (5/9/18) - On Monday, May 7th, the Department of Forestry and Fire Management will be conducting a prescribed burn on private land in Southern Arizona.
The Pig Mountain Burn will take place on the Elk Horn Ranch roughly 50 miles southwest of Tucson. The 617-acre burn is slated for 0800, both weather and resource availability permitting.
The purpose of the resource benefit burn is to reduce the dry, overgrown grasses and brush while ultimately contributing to hazardous fuels reduction in that area.
Ignitions start first thing in the morning and will be finished by early afternoon. Crews will then monitor the burn throughout the rest of the day. Smoke will be visible throughout the Altar Valley, Avra Valley-area, and across most of the southern region of the state. There will be no other impacts to surrounding communities or residents.
“Prescribed fire is a planned event. We have been monitoring the spring weather and limited moisture situation and patiently waiting for the right conditions. Fire personnel and resources are identified and assigned for successful implementation of this low risk, prescribed fire event. Objectives for the Pig Mountain project require dry and warm weather conditions. Fire managers will monitor these conditions prior to, and hourly, during this event,” said State Prescribed Fire Management Officer Roy Hall.
“Fire is extremely beneficial to the ecosystem. It acts as a cleansing agent and helps with plant regeneration, removes invasive species and pests, and helps rebuild nutrients within the soil. However, before ignitions even begin, many factors pertaining to this burn must align. We will be in close contact with the weather service and will be reliant on weather conditions and resource availability, so we can move forward safely and effectively. The overall objective of this project is to remove hazardous fuels in the area that are of great concern to the public,” said State Forester Jeff Whitney.
The burn is part of a cooperative effort between State Forestry and the Altar Valley Conservation Alliance.
For more information, contact Tiffany Davila at 602-540-1036 or by email at [email protected].
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