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Smoke from prescribed burns drifts into Verde Valley skies

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The Flagstaff Ranger District is conducting pile burns in three different areas of the Coconino National Forest Wednesday, Jan. 11, through Friday, Jan 13.

  • A1 burn project: 50-300 acres of machine piles. Located west of Flagstaff at roughlt at 35°12’39.6″N 111°44’20.4″W
  • Horse Park burn project: Roughly 350 acres of machine piles, located at 35°00’00.0″N 111°39’21.6″W, northeast of Sedona, east of Oak Creek Canyon and north of Munds Park.
  • Dry Lake Hills burn project: Between 30 and 100 acres of both hand and machine piles will be burned as part of the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project at roughly 35°15’42.0″N 111°39’18.0″W, due north of Flagstaff.

Due to prevaling southwestern winds, smoke from the Horse Park burn pile fires has drifted into the Verde Valley.

Smoke is also visible from Bellemont, west Flagstaff, Interstate 17, Interstate 40 and Highway 180. Smoke may settle in the Lake Mary Road corridor overnight.

There are no anticipated road or trail closures due to any of the pile burn projects. Please refrain from calling dispatch lines if you see smoke from these pile burns so lines can remain open for any emergencies.

Large piles need to be burned when conditions are wet or while snow is on the ground to allow for greater control.

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Fire managers make every effort to effectively plan and execute burn plans at times when weather allows for smoke impacts to be minimized and transport up and over communities.

For more information about prescribed burns, visit Prescribed Fires and Smoke web page or view the video Keeping Fire on the Ground below:

Christopher Fox Graham

Christopher Fox Graham is the managing editor of the Sedona Rock Rocks News, The Camp Verde Journal and the Cottonwood Journal Extra. Hired by Larson Newspapers as a copy editor in 2004, he became assistant manager editor in October 2009 and managing editor in August 2013. Graham has won awards for editorials, investigative news reporting, headline writing, page design and community service from the Arizona Newspapers Association. Graham has also been featured in Editor & Publisher magazine. He lectures on journalism and First Amendment law and is a nationally recognized performance aka slam poet. Retired U.S. Army Col. John Mills, former director of Cybersecurity Policy, Strategy, and International Affairs referred to him as "Mr. Slam Poet."

Christopher Fox Graham
Christopher Fox Graham
Christopher Fox Graham is the managing editor of the Sedona Rock Rocks News, The Camp Verde Journal and the Cottonwood Journal Extra. Hired by Larson Newspapers as a copy editor in 2004, he became assistant manager editor in October 2009 and managing editor in August 2013. Graham has won awards for editorials, investigative news reporting, headline writing, page design and community service from the Arizona Newspapers Association. Graham has also been featured in Editor & Publisher magazine. He lectures on journalism and First Amendment law and is a nationally recognized performance aka slam poet. Retired U.S. Army Col. John Mills, former director of Cybersecurity Policy, Strategy, and International Affairs referred to him as "Mr. Slam Poet."

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