Today, two units were burned within the STF Experimental Forest, located two miles southeast of Pinecrest. These units totaled 24 acres and are being studied for their response to prescribed fire in a mixed conifer forest. Because the units contained heavy fuels, a smoke column formed and was visible from Highway 108. These units will continue to burn down tomorrow, June 27.

No additional burning will take place on the Stanislaus National Forest Rx Burn Projects this summer. Burning is anticipated to resume on these project areas later this fall. Firefighters are still working on project areas to ensure that prescribed fire objectives are met.

In the Dry Meadow Rx Burn Project area, crews continued to mop up previously burned units. Back haul of supplies also continued today.

Firefighters continued with mop up and patrol of the Strawberry Rx Burn Project. Patches of fuels within the unit lines will continue to smoke, especially in the recently burned units (S04 and S09 units close to the Pinecrest School, and along Crabtree Road). Crews continue to patrol other units on the Strawberry Rx Burn Project that were burned several weeks ago.

Tomorrow’s weather will be sunny in the morning, followed by cloud cover in the mid to late afternoon. Showers are possible over the fire areas by Wednesday. Saturday’s weather is anticipated to reach 90°.

A total of 4,192 acres of prescribed burning has occurred in this area of the forest. A total of 473 firefighters remain on the STF Rx Burn Project.

This is the final planned update on the STF Rx Burn Projects for this season. The project areas are anticipated to resume prescribed burning in mid-October.

Williams, Ariz., June 26, 2023 – Kaibab National Forest has been taking advantage of unseasonably cool and wet conditions to manage lightning-caused fires to remove hazardous fuels, promote healthy vegetation and improve forest health. These environmental conditions persisted beyond the typical spring prescribed fire season.

The Kaibab National Forest is a fire-adapted ecosystem, with native species, such as the Ponderosa pine, dependent upon frequent, lower-intensity fire to thrive. The thick bark of Ponderosa pines protects trees from all but the most intense fires, and fire on the forest floor provides a nutrient-rich seedbed for the next generation of vegetation to succeed. Fire also plays a crucial role in breaking down forest floor debris, such as fallen leaves, needles, branches, and trees, a process which normally occurs rapidly in more moisture-laden environments but can take decades in the arid Southwest. By using both prescribed fires and naturally occurring fires when conditions safely allow at regular intervals, future fires on the Kaibab will be less intense and produce less smoke, benefiting the ecosystem and those around it.

Weather will continue to play a vital role in managing these fires, with tactical firing operations planned only when conditions exist to safely do so. Over the past several days, despite the higher winds and lower humidity, all three fires have remained within their respected designated areas. This is due to the strategic decisions fire managers have made over the past couple weeks using the terrain, previously treated adjacent landscapes, weather forecasts, and tactical firing operations to ensure the fires continues to burn at the more natural intensity and rate of spread. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag warning for Monday and a Fire Weather Watch on Tuesday due to strong winds and low relative humidity. Crews will monitor and patrol the fire perimeters watching for spot fires.

The Hull Fire, located near Lower Hull Tank along the Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park boundary just northeast of the Grand View Lookout and east of Grandview Point, is 1,491 acres spreading at a low-to-moderate pace in ponderosa pine forest within the planning area. All tactical firing operations are complete. This fire is being co-managed with Grand Canyon National Park. Twenty-five personnel are currently assigned to this fire.

The Ridge Fire, located approximately 7 miles southeast of Tusayan along forest road 302 near Skinner Tank, is 2,300 acres slowly moving south/southwest in ponderosa pine forest south/southwest of Skinner Ridge. Tactical firing operations have been occurring along the eastern edge of the planning area, building a buffer of pre-burned ground ahead of the fire and directing the fire slowly to the south/southwest. Seventy-seven personnel are assigned to this fire.

The Three Lakes Fire is approximately 481 acres and growing at a low-to-moderate rate of spread through the mixed ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and aspen forest and grassy meadows. Green grasses have held fire activity to a slow spread, consuming pine needle duff and dead-and-down woody debris and stumps on the forest floor. Crews were able to use tactical firing operations to strengthen approximately 2 miles of the planned area perimeter yesterday. Pilot cars may be used along State Route 67 should smoke impacts warrant for safety. Seventy-seven personnel are assigned to this fire.

Managing naturally caused wildfires across the landscape is a very effective tool in restoring the forest to a healthier condition, and these efforts align with the Forest Service's 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which aims to increase the use of fire on the landscape as well as other treatments to improve forest resiliency for generations to come.

Additional information can be found on the on InciWeb, Kaibab NF website, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, or by calling the Fire Information Hotline at 928-635-8311 or local ranger stations.

Rico Fire Update - June 26, 2023

Location: ¼ mile NW of Pinos Altos, NM I Size: 421 acres I Containment: 61% I Personnel: 157

Start Date: June 20, 2023 I Cause: Under investigation I Fuels: Slash, timber and brush

The LAST FIRE UPDATE for the RICO FIRE will be issued on June 28th

SILVER CITY, NM, June 26, 2023 – Having achieved 61% containment, the next phase of the Rico Fire will be suppression repair which involves immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion. Impacts result from fire suppression activities and repair/rehab work usually begins before the fire is contained and before demobilization of the Incident Management Team. This work repairs hand and dozer lines, trails, staging areas, safety zones, drop points, and possibly roads used during the firefighting effort. Visibility of the handline constructed during the fire will be reduced to prevent it from becoming a new trail or travel corridor. Brush and limbs may be scattered onto firelines so that a more natural appearance is restored. Waterbars are installed to facilitate drainage, especially on sloped terrain and handline intersections with roads and trails.

Firefighters will continue to work on the fire until they reach 100% containment. To date, no firefighter injuries or illnesses have been reported. The number of personnel and equipment will gradually decrease as the 100% containment goal nears completion. Firefighters will continue to monitor and patrol the area after all resources have been released.

Bear Creek Road is not closed: Travelers are asked to remain vigilant while traveling along Bear Creek Road, as firefighting operations are ongoing. Reduce speeds and proceed with caution.

Road Closure Status: There are NO ROAD CLOSURES associated with the Rico Fire.

Residual Smoke: Expected to settle into lower elevations. Smoke sensitive individuals who want to learn more should follow recommendations at NMFireInfo Smoke Management

Aviation Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains in place over the Rico Fire. All non-fire aircraft are restricted. This includes civilian drones.

For more information: visit NMFireInfo or the Inciweb direct link to the Rico Fire

Rico Fire Information:  575-323-1533 8 am to 8 pm or email Loretta_Benavidez@firenet.gov

Pass Fire Update for June 26, 2023

Acres: 55,683                                                                                                     

Start Date: May 18, 2023

Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM                                                                                                  

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 13%                                                                                                   

Fuels: Timber, piñon/juniper and grass

Personnel: 112

The Pass Fire remained active yesterday afternoon in the southeastern side of the perimeter along Windfall Canyon and Burnt Corral Canyon, slowly burning to the south and to the northeast through an additional 1,226 acres of piñon/juniper type woodland and heavy overgrown vegetation. The fire is still exhibiting low to moderate fire behavior. A white plume of smoke from the Pass Fire developed during the afternoon hours, after west to southwest winds increased.

Smoke from the Pass Fire will settle in the lower valleys during evening and early morning hours and should lift by midmorning. Please visit https://fire.airnow.gov/# (Smoke and Air Map) for more information on air quality.

Today, additional firefighters are in the area east of the active fire working to improve FR704 to utilize the road as a confine and containment strategy, while being light on the land. The intent is to prevent the fire from crossing into private land to the east of the fire and from crossing the east fork of the Gila River. The Pass Fire has not crossed onto any private land and remains within the planned boundaries. The west and north sides of the Pass Fire are showing little to no smoke. Firefighters will continue to monitor the whole fire area from the air and ground.

The overall strategy on the Pass Fire is to allow the low to moderate intensity of the fire to play its natural role on the landscape as firefighters take appropriate actions to keep the fire within the designated planned boundaries while protecting private land, infrastructure, and natural resources. The Gila National Forest is a fire-adapted ecosystem. It is dependent on fire to play a natural role in restoring the landscape to more natural conditions while preventing the occurrence of extreme fires in the future.

Weather: Hot and dry, lighter winds with highs around 81-87 degrees. Elevated fire danger today through Tuesday. West-southwest winds 6-15 with gusts up to 25 mph.

Aviation Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is still in place over the Pass Fire. All non-fire aircraft are restricted. This includes civilian drones. Unauthorized aircraft in the area will ground firefighting aircraft, hindering firefighting efforts. If you fly, we can’t.

For More Information:

• Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-pass-fire Inciweb is the official site for fire information. This site is secure and updated daily.
• New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/
• Air Quality: https://www.airnow.gov

On Monday, June 26, burning will take place on a 25-acre unit within the STF Experimental Forest, located two miles southeast of Pinecrest. Heavy fuels are within this unit, the burning is anticipated to take most of the day. Smoke is anticipated to be visible from Highway 108.

No additional burning will take place on the Stanislaus National Forest Rx Burn Projects this summer. Burning is anticipated to resume on these project areas later this fall. Firefighters are still working on project areas to ensure that prescribed fire objectives are met.

There is no smoke visible in the Dry Meadow Rx Burn Project area. The rehabilitation of dozer lines was completed today. Crews will continue to secure lines and work on backhaul of equipment from the work area.

In the Strawberry Rx Burn Project, pockets of fuels continue to smoke on the recently burned areas (S04 and S09 units close to the Pinecrest School). All areas of the project area continue to be monitored, including those along Crabtree Road as well as units burned several weeks ago.  

Hose backhaul from the South Fork Rx Burn Project was completed today. Firefighters will continue to patrol the project area.

Additional cloud cover will be over the prescribed fire areas tomorrow, with approximately 60-70% coverage. A warming trend this week is anticipated to be near 90° by this weekend.

A total of 4,168 acres of prescribed burning has occurred in this area of the forest. Five hundred and one firefighters remain on the STF Rx Burn Project.

June 26, 2023 – The San Jacinto District will proceed today with the prescribed burn on Thomas Mountain. The primary objective remains consistent, focusing on working both the north and south side of the prescribed burn as well as the interior, to consuming the accumulated downed and dead fuels.

Residents and visitors have likely observed increased smoke in the area over the past few days as the prescribed fire moves down the mountain toward the containment line. This movement indicates that the fire is progressing as planned, and the prescribed burn is effectively reducing the vegetation and fuels within the predetermined boundaries.

If you are traveling on California Highway 74 you may experience brief closures due to aerial operations. These closures are to protect both the firefighters involved in the operations and the public using the highway.

During these operations certain areas will be temporarily closed to the public: Forest Road 6S13, Tool Box Springs Yellow Post Sites, Thomas Mountain Yellow Post Sites, and the Ramona Trail. These closures are implemented for the safety of both the public and firefighters involved in the operations.

Prescribed fire plays an important role in forest health and in reducing extreme wildfires and their negative impact. These fires also help reduce heavy fuel loads while simultaneously opening the conifer forest structure and maintaining the health of meadow habitats. Fire is also used to enhance native plant communities and cultural landscapes and improve wildlife habitats. Another goal is to provide defensible space for communities and developed areas within and surrounding the BDF. With all fire comes smoke, and the U.S. Forest Service works to mitigate smoke impacts from prescribed fires on the communities in the area.

#PrescribedBurn #PrescribedFire #ForestHealth #thomasmountainprescribedburn

Upcoming Actions: Red flag conditions, with very dry and breezy to windy conditions, are forecasted today. Fire crews continue to hold and patrol the fire line, gridding for potential spot fires. Suppression tactics have reduced fire activity, and crews will continue to improve containment lines, working in steep and rugged terrain. Suppression activities are concentrated on the west side of the fire, where most heat remains concentrated.

While the Comanche Fire’s ultimate acreage will be less than initially anticipated, it has had the desired ecological effects in burned areas. The consumed surface fuels in the understory make way for improved forest health.

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from Canjilon, Abiquiu, El Rito and as far as Santa Fe and Taos. It may impact the communities of Abiquiu, El Rito, Medenales, Hernandez and the Española Valley. Temporary smoke monitors have been placed at the El Rito Ranger Station, Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu and the Chevron station in Hernandez. Air quality data is available from the Fire and Smoke Map at fire.airnow.gov.

Special Messages: There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the fire area. For the safety of aerial resources and fire crews on the ground, please do not fly drones in the fire vicinity. If you fly, we can’t.

Closure: Temporary partial road closures are in effect on Forest Roads 137 and 20.

Fast Facts
Size: 1,937 acres
Cause: Lightning
Fuels: Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer Values at risk: Cultural/historical sites.
Percent Completed: 19%
Resources: 3 hand crews, 2 wildland fire modules, 6 engines, 1 dozer, 2 water tender, 2 REMS teams, total personnel 183

June 25, 2023 - Evening Update - Operations for today have concluded successfully, and approximately 1,692 acres have been accomplished so far. The fire management teams have been waiting for suitable weather conditions to work on both the south and north sides of the prescribed burn area.

Residents and visitors have likely observed increased smoke in the area over the past few days as the prescribed fire moves down the mountain toward the containment line. This movement indicates that the fire is progressing as planned, and the prescribed burn is effectively reducing the vegetation and fuels within the predetermined boundaries.

With favorable weather conditions expected for the remainder of the week, crews intend to continue conducting both ground and aerial ignitions, particularly focusing on the interior areas of the prescribed burn zone. Aerial ignitions involve using aircraft to drop incendiary devices to ignite specific targeted areas. This approach helps to contain the fire within the predetermined boundaries and aids in achieving the desired management goals.

It's important for residents and visitors to remain aware of the ongoing prescribed burn and follow any instructions or safety guidelines provided by local authorities. Staying updated with information from official sources is crucial for accurate and timely updates regarding the prescribed burn's progress and any potential impacts in the area.

The fire is still burning within the unit and sending up smoke; at times visible from Highway 74. Crews will be monitoring and working throughout the evening. Operations will begin again tomorrow at 9am.
 

#PrescribedBurn #PrescribedFire #ForestHealth #thomasmountainprescribedburn

****PRE-ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE****
6/25/23:

On July 5 it is anticipated that an approximately 3-mile-long segment of the North-South Road on Placerville RD will be temporarily closed to all traffic to allow for the cutting and removal of hazard trees that are associated with the Caldor Fire. It is anticipated that this temporary closure will last until the end of July.

This temporary road closure will be a “hard” closure to the extent that the equipment being used to extract the felled timber from the adjacent slopes must be positioned on the travel way of the North-South Road. For safety reasons, the logging equipment must be “guy-wired” to the adjacent slopes and is quite large and not readily mobile, thus traffic will not be able to pass thru the closed area either day or night during the temporary closure period.

The North-South Road closure will begin at the Capps Crossing and North-South intersection and extend along the North-South Road to the intersection with Plummer Ridge Road (09N16). Informational signs will be placed at the following major intersections advising of the road closure:

1. Mormon-Emigrant Road and the North-South Road intersection.
2. North-South Road and Capps Crossing Road intersection.
3. Leoni Road and North-South Road intersection.
4. Omo Ranch Road and North-South Road intersection.
5. Leoni Road and Leoni Meadows Camp intersection.

In addition to the informational signs mentioned above, barricades will be placed across the full road width at the:

1. Capps Crossing and North-South Road intersection and at the
2. Plumber Ridge and North-South intersection.

At the location of the barricades, there is plenty of room for large vehicles, including vehicles with large trailers to turn around.

Detour signs will be placed at the following locations to direct drivers on alternative routes around the temporarily closed segment of the North-South Road:

1. North-South Road and Capps Crossing Road intersection will have detour signs directing drivers to the Mormon Emigrant Road and to Grizzly Flat.
2. Leoni Road and the North-South Road intersection will have detour signs directing drivers to the Omo Ranch Road or to Grizzly Flat.

The above temporary closures will not affect access to the Capps Campground area or the PiPi Campground area.

Additional areas along the Leoni Road, the North-South Road, and the Capps Crossing Road will have future short-term closures or delays to allow for additional hazard trees to be cut and removed. It is expected that these additional closures or delays will be of short duration and affect only short segments of the affected roads. These additional closures or delays will be announced and appropriately signed when they go into effect, but none are expected until late July.

If traveling to the Eldorado National Forest, please be prepared and know before you go by visiting our website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado