Woodlands Ranch Prescribed Burn Project in Coconino County Rescheduled for May 1, 2023
Flagstaff, AZ (4/26/23) – The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management plans to begin the Woodlands Ranch RX Burn next week as the forecast calls for more conducive weather conditions. The 1,500-acre project is located approximately eight miles north of State Route 64 and US 180, also known as the Valle/Grand Canyon Junction, and 13 miles south of Tusayan.
Project managers planned to start the project this week, but due to unfavorable weather conditions, they rescheduled the project to Monday, May 1. The Woodlands Ranch RX Burn could take up to four days to complete and will be dependent on smoke output and overall weather, including relative humidities and winds. This State Trust Land project provides for wildfire risk reduction by using firing operations to reduce hazardous fuels around infrastructure and nearby properties. The project also helps with forest restoration and acts as a cleansing agent to keep fuels from accumulating in an effort to mitigate extreme wildfire behavior. Overall, the prescribed burn ultimately keeps communities safer and allows firefighters to more safely suppress wildfires by reducing the possibility of extreme wildfire behavior.
Ignitions begin Monday and continue through the week until the project is completed. Smoke may be highly visible from the Valle/Grand Canyon Junction-area. Predicted winds out of the southwest should push smoke off the project to the northeast and toward SR 64 and US 89. However, the smoke should disperse prior to reaching the highways and have minimal impact to drivers in the area.
All prescribed burning operations are weather dependent and must have prior approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. DFFM and ADEQ work closely on prescribed burn projects to ensure safe burning environments with minimal impacts to nearby communities and residents. Prior to any DFFM burn, notifications will be made on the agency’s social media platforms, including Twitter: @azforestry and Facebook: arizonaforestry.
