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Whenever you plan to head out on to your public lands, it's always wise to call ahead to the Field Office or Ranger Station that oversees your destination to check on local conditions. Point and click at the interactive map above to search all of the state's recreation sites for phone numbers and other details. |
Arizona Fire News
ARIZONA RESTRICTIONS AND CLOSURES
SEEING SMOKE IN ARIZONA? MAYBE IT'S INTENTIONAL
PRESS SECTION -- click here to read official agency Press Releases and/or Restriction and Closure Orders
Latest Fire News
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The Safford Air Operations Center is maintained by the Bureau of Land Management.
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ARIZONA RESTRICTIONS AND CLOSURES
July, 2011
NOTE: This page and the PRESS SECTION are intended for recreationists who might be concerned with how government and tribal agencies' Fire Restrictions and Closures, as well as prescribed burning, can affect camping, hiking, hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. For information about active wildfires, scroll to the bottom of this page and use the links.
Due to increased precipitation, as of 12 July the Sitgreaves, Kaibab, Coconino and Prescott National Forests have lifted all fire restrictions. Fire restrictions continue in portions of the Apache, Tonto and Coronado National Forests. All fire restrictions have also been lifted for the Grand Canyon. During this time of increased precipitation, debris flows are a concern in areas of recent fire activity. For more information, click here. Information on individual forests can be found below. PLEASE read the notices and the Press Section carefully before you take off for any outdoor activities.
Land management agencies, tribal governments, counties and cities pay particularly close attention to fire prevention and preparedness every year - regardless of moisture - to ensure that your outdoor experiences will be pleasant and safe.
Opportunities for having fun on public lands abound year round, even during "fire season." Wildfires may temporarily affect travel while being managed or suppressed by fire crews, some areas may have to close because of Extreme Fire Danger, but there is always some place where you can camp, hike, fish, visit historic sites or take a leisurely drive to enjoy the scenery.
YOUR bottom line? Always plan outdoor excursions wisely; call local authorities to check on any last-minute changes in conditions before you leave. Point and click at the interactive map of Arizona above to search all of the state's recreation sites for phone numbers and other details.
BE CAREFUL with fire year round. And remember, though the sale of ground and hand-held fireworks and their use in some locations is now legal in Arizona, please remember, fireworks are not permitted on public lands at any time. This includes State Trust Land, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Parks, Fish & Wildlife Service Refuge lands, as well as lands owned or managed by Arizona State Parks and Arizona Game & Fish.
WHAT`S OPEN:
Many public lands except for the areas listed under the What's Closed section.
WHAT`S RESTRICTED:
Different land managing agencies establish their fire restrictions for their lands in different ways. Some use national forest or ranger district boundaries, county lines or other administrative areas.
Use the maps found throughout this website to clarify where you might be restricted from using fires. Start here to find county or national forest boundaries.
NATIONAL FORESTS
TONTO NATIONAL FOREST has lifted some fire closures, effective July 13th. Details can be seen href="http://www.publiclands.org/firenews/pressreleases/AZ.php?id=EFpAyFpAFkcqOZivTI">hereand on the Tonto Forest website - look to the upper right of their Home Page for "Fire Information." Most fire-producing activities are restricted throughout the entire Forest.
COCONINO NATIONAL FOREST lifted fire restrictions effective July 12, 8 a.m. because of increased precipitation.
As of July 2nd, APACHE NATIONAL FOREST is still CLOSED. For details, click here and,here
As of July 8th the SITGREAVES NATIONAL FOREST is OPEN. For details, click here.
As of July 13th, some areas of the CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST have reopened. All areas remain under Stage Two fire restrictions. For details, click here. Information on the Horseshoe 2 fire can be found here.
KAIBAB NATIONAL FOREST has lifted fire restrictions effective July 12. For information on the benefits of fire in the Kaibab, click here.
PRESCOTT NATIONAL FOREST have lifted fire restrictions effective July 12. For more information, clickhere
BLM LANDS
The Bureau Of Land Management's GILA DISTRICT in Southeastern Arizona, the PHOENIX DISTRICT and the COLORADO RIVER DISTRICT out in western Arizona have all entered restrictions. Click here to see the releases outlining those restrictions.
The agency's ARIZONA STRIP DISTRICT in Mohave and Coconino Counties will start enforcing their restrictions June 24th.
Here is a map showing BLM Field Office boundaries.
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES
OPEN FIRES of any type are PROHIBITED on these refuges year round.
NATIONAL PARKS
The Grand Canyon National Park has lifted fire restrictions on both the south and the north rims. Please see here, for information about pile burning on the North Rim.
On May 13th, three Southeast Arizona Park Service areas entered STAGE TWO restrictions - Coronado National Memorial, Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic Site. For details, click here.
As of July 2nd the Coronado National Memorial has partially reopened. For details, click here.
As of July 2nd the Chiricahua National Monument remains Mostly Closed; see our Closure section for more information.
The Fort Bowie National Historic Site remains in Stage 2 Restrictions.
May 14th, Saguaro National Park entered seasonal restrictions banning wood or charcoal cooking or camp fires - butane and other pressurized gas is ok - as well as smoking outdoors unless you're in a developed recreation area. The Rincon Mountain (East) District has been REOPENED, as of 8 July. Clickhere.
National Parks and Monuments maintain differing restrictions on cooking and campfires year round - use the interactive map above to locate individual sites and check the NOTES at the bottom of a site's page for local restrictions.
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS (BIA)
As of June 8, 2011, the Navajo Nation is now under a fire restriction. No “open” burning, only propane and/or petroleum fueled stoves are allowed in developed campgrounds.
As of April 29, 2011, the Gila River Indian Community has posted restrictions for their area banning open fires of any kind without a special permit issued by their Fire Department.
The Fort Apache Reservation announced their seasonal restrictions May 16th. Partial Area Closures are in effect on the Eastern Sideof the Reservation.
San Carlos Apache Tribe has posted Stage Two fire restrictions limiting campfires to only the designated fire rings or grilles at Talkalai and San Carlos Lakes. Other burning on the reservation requires a permit. Information on the Stanley Fire can be found here.
Hopi Tribal lands remain under restrictions year round and other reservations observe seasonal restrictions.
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community posted fire restrictions effective May 26th, 2010.
Quechan Tribal lands often have fire restrictions for campfires, check locally for compliance requirements.
The Colorado River Indian Tribes have closures of designated areas, check locally for compliance requirements.
To contact individual tribes about local conditions, use the following numbers: Tohono O'odham (520-383-8276), San Carlos Apache (928-475-2326), Salt River Pima (480-850-8244), Navajo Nation (928-729-4007), Hopi (928-734-2106), Gila River Community (520-796-5900), Fort Apache (928-338-5326).
Please remember, tribal lands are NOT public lands; please observe all tribal restrictions on access, photography, etc.
STATE PARKS, STATE TRUST LANDS and STATE WILDLIFE AREAS
Call ahead to check the STATE PARK you will be visiting for rules and fire restriction guidance - type the individual park name in the Recreation Search box at the top of this page. There you'll find the number.
STATE TRUST LANDS and ARIZONA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT are both enforcing uipdated fire restrictions as of June 28th. Wood and charcoal fires for camping or cooking are prohibited (gas fuels are exempted); smoking outdoors is a definite no-no; welding with an open flame is not allowed and FIREWORKS are banned. For information on Updated Restrictions, please click here.
Twenty-six STATE WILDLIFE AREAS are specifically included in the GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT restrictions, including Alamo, Bog Hole, Mittry Lake, Colorado River Nature Center, Lamar Haines, Willcox Playa, Quigley, Whitewater Draw, Chevelon Canyon, White Mountain Grasslands, Raymond, Wenima, Powers Butte, Cluff Ranch, Base & Meridian, Upper Verde River, Arlington, Becker Lake, Tonto Creek, Cibola, Horseshoe Ranch, Roosevelt Lake, Santa Rita, Springerville Marsh and Sunflower Flat, Three Bar and Robbins Butte Wildlife Areas.
Remember, any non-hunting, out-of-season recreation on State Trust Lands requires a permit from the Arizona State Land Department.
COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
COCONINO COUNTY has lifted fires restrictions.
YAVAPAI COUNTY entered restrictions on Open Burning May 11th. Open fires are defined as those that produce an ash. Other types of outdoor fires banned are those that produce open flames such as lamp oil in tiki lamps. The ban also prohibits the outdoor use of equipment that generates open flames or a spark. This would restrict the use of welding equipment and chain saws. Variances for businesses however, can be requested. The county ban allows cooking on charcoal barbecue grills as long as they are covered, and it will allow the use of store-bought fire pits if they also have screened covers that don’t allow sparks to pass through. Propane stoves and lamps are permissible.
MARICOPA COUNTY Parks and Recreation Department initiated its annual fire ban May 16th and expanded it in June. For most recent details, click here The earlier fire ban included the use of campfires, fire pits and charcoal grills; however, it is still acceptable to use gas/propane grills in designated areas. Smoking in the parks is still permissible, but all park users are strongly encouraged to be responsible in their use and ensure that all cigarettes are properly extinguished and placed in trash receptacles.
Ten Maricopa County parks affected by the fire ban are: Lake Pleasant Regional Park, White Tank Mountain Regional Park, Adobe Dam Regional Park, Buckeye Hills Regional Park, Estrella Mountain Regional Park (excludes turf area), San Tan Mountain Regional Park, Usery Mountain Regional Park, McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Cave Creek Regional Park, and Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area.
MOHAVE COUNTY has adopted Fire Restrictions at Hualapai State Park
NAVAJO COUNTY entered restrictions May 16th. For details, click here.
GILA COUNTY has also adopted Fire Restrictions in keeping with the Tonto National Forest's fire restrictions. See our section on the Tonto for more information.
GREENLEE COUNTY and others are issuing fire bans and fireworks restrictions. Please check with your county officials before sparking anything up.
WHAT`S CLOSED:
Local conditions sometimes require land managers to close access or use of areas within their jurisdiction. MANY OF THE CLOSURES BELOW WERE POSTED WITHOUT EXPIRATION DATES - CHECK WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO SEE IF THEY ARE STILL IN PLACE. In fact, ALWAYS check with local offices before venturing out on to Arizona's public lands.
The CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST remains under PARTIAL CLOSURES. For details, click here. The Monument Fire in this area has caused some road closures: Sierra Vista DO NOT USE Highway 92.
Ramsey Road is closed. Hereford Road is closed
Because of the Coronado's closures, many trails in PIMA COUNTY are also closed. A full listing of those closures can be found here
As of 8 july, portions of the APACHE NATIONAL FOREST remain CLOSED. For details, click here. Road closures associated with the massive WALLOW FIRE in that area can be tracked here.
CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL MONUMENT is partially closed due to the Horseshoe 2 fire. For information regarding what is open and what is not, please click here
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SEEING SMOKE IN ARIZONA? MAYBE IT'S INTENTIONAL
There are two kinds of fires out on public lands that might cause some smoke:
One is your well-tended and thoroughly-OUT-when-you-leave-it CAMP FIRE and the other is a WILDLAND FIRE - that's any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland.
There are also two types of wildland fires. They are wildfires and prescribed fires.
Wildfires are unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. Some wildfires that occur naturally, by lightning, can be managed to achieve resource management objectives.
Prescribed fires are planned ignitions. They are ignited by agency personnel to meet specific objectives in order to prevent or reduce the intensity of any future wildfire.
Many agencies and tribes practice prescribed burning to eliminate excess fuels and reduce fire danger. Weather and environmental conditions play a key role in the timing and accomplishment of these projects. People in these areas will see and smell smoke for the duration of the burn; smoke inversions may occur during nighttime hours. As always, firefighter and public safety are the top priority.
Sometimes, naturally caused wildfires are allowed to burn for the same reasons. The objective of any such "managed" fire is to protect, maintain and enhance resources, and, as nearly as possible, allow fire to function in its natural ecological role within defined boundaries.
Before a fire is put into such status, land managers evaluate several criteria. For example, archaeologists and wildlife biologists inspect the area to ensure wildlife habitats and archaeological sites will not be harmed as a result of the fire or management practices. Before a fire can be actively managed, its boundaries and the weather and fuels conditions under which the fire will be allowed to burn are carefully established.
In both cases, agency fire managers follow strict guidelines, monitoring burn conditions and the generation of smoke.
For an example of a News Release about a prescribed burning project, click here.
If you are concerned about how wildfire smoke can affect your health, go to this website.
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