Prescott, AZ (September 18, 2015) –Fire managers on the Verde Ranger District are planning to start ignitions on the Sunnybrook RX beginning Monday, September 21 through Friday, September 25, pending favorable weather conditions. Specific days to burn will be determined by current and expected weather patterns allowing fire managers to make every effort to minimize smoke impacts to nearby communities. Tactics to keep smoke impacts as minimal as possible include canceling approved burns when conditions aren’t favorable, timing daytime ignitions to allow the majority of smoke time to disperse prior to settling overnight, and burning larger sections at a time when conditions are favorable to reduce the overall number of days smoke is in the area.
Sunnybrook RX – Approximately 150 acres west of Cherry and north of Highway 169 (T14N, R3E, S20). In early 2014, fire managers completed a brush mastication project in this location and now we need to finish the work with prescribed burning to reduce fuel loads and return fire to its natural role in the ecosystem. Smoke will be visible in the area due to heavier fuel such as downed logs and large branches. The Sunnybrook RX is part of the ongoing fuels reduction work aimed at improving forest health and helping to reducing fire danger to the community of Cherry and the Federal Mine.
Forest prescribed burn method
All prescribed fires activity is dependent on the availability of personnel and equipment, weather, fuels and conditions that minimize smoke impacts as best as possible and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (www.azdeq.gov).
The public can obtain additional prescribed fire information via the following:
· Prescott NF Fire Information Hotline: (928) 777-5799
· Prescott NF Forest Website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/prescott/
· Local Ranger Stations: Bradshaw Ranger District, (928) 443-8000; Chino Valley Ranger District (928) 777-2200; Verde Ranger District (928) 567-4121.
This article written and submitted by Debbie Maneely, Public Affairs, FOIA, Forest Service, Prescott National Forest.
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