Arizona fire crews catch up on prescribed burns thanks to cold, dry weather

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (AZFamily) — It’s been a busy week for firefighters in the High Country as they deal with both wildfires and work on prescribed burns.

This unusually dry winter has both its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to preparing for fire season.

Usually this time of year, the forests around Flagstaff are covered in snow.

However, this year’s lack of precipitation is a cause for concern for fire season but it’s also allowed fire crews to have earlier prescribed burns.

Coconino National Forest and state firefighters are working on a prescribed burn over 10 miles south of Flagstaff, aiming to treat 1,700 acres of forest.

Randi Shaffer with the Coconino National Forest said prescribed fires in January are rare.

“This is definitely a unique year on the Coconino National Forest,” Shaffer said.

Record heat and lack of rain this summer and fall in Flagstaff prevented firefighters from conducting their usual fall burns.

Now the dry weather is allowing fire crews to catch up.

“We’re taking advantage of those dry conditions to go ahead and follow through with our fall prescribed fire plan using this as an opportunity to treat this acreage of land,” Shaffer said.

The prescribed burn started Wednesday and treated about 900 acres, but freezing temperatures and wind did push Thursday’s burn back a day.

Shaffer said the cold temperatures are providing optimal burn conditions.

“We’ve got a perfect fuel, moisture temp,” Shaffer said. “That means we are able to safely burn all of this under those ideal conditions rather than waiting for an unwanted wildfire during those summer months.”

However, the lack of snow has also increased the danger of fire in the forest.

“It is very rare to be in this high fire danger this time of year,” Shaffer said.

Just this week, crews battled a 50-plus acre wildfire outside of Williams.

So with the uncertainty of much-needed snow in the future, Shaffer said they will be using every opportunity.

“Despite the fact that it is late January we will still be looking for opportunities to conduct our prescribed fire projects,” she said.

There are no restrictions for campfires and no forest road closures because of the lack of snow.

Shaffer asks everyone recreating in the woods to be fire-safe and properly put out their campfires.

For more information on that and how to prepare ahead of fire season, you can visit the Coconino National Forest’s website by clicking/tapping here.

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