WEDNESDAY UPDATE:
The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management is doing a one-day pile burn operation on state trust land in Pinal County in an effort to reduce both fuel loading in the area and wildfire risk.
State Fire will conduct ignitions on the 36-acre, Lost Dutchman RX Burn located approximately four miles northeast of Apache Junction, off State Route 88 and Nodak Road, just south of the Goldfield Ghost Town.
The project is adjacent to a similar project by the Bureau of Land Management. Last year, the two agencies collaborated to help reduce the hazardous fuel load within this area. These piles are the result of the leftover debris from those fuels projects. The overall planned objectives include preserving the Sonoran Desert’s natural state, providing a fuel break to help in the containment of a wildfire and ultimately safeguarding nearby residents and businesses.
Watch for smoke along SR 88 and around Goldfield Ghost Town.
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The Bureau of Land Management’s Phoenix District is planning a prescribed fire to burn cut and piled brush from about 80 acres of land northeast of Apache Junction. Fire personnel will burn on BLM lands surrounding State Route 88 near Hackamore Road and the Goldfield Ghost Town.
Burning may occur over multiple days between January and March as conditions allow.
To ensure public safety, BLM firefighters will ignite the piles only when weather conditions are conducive to safely burning. They will remain on scene to monitor public and resource safety.
Area residents may see some light smoke during the burn operation. No local road closures are expected.
Last year, the BLM collaborated with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management to reduce hazardous vegetation in the area. Removing this vegetation helps to reduce the amount of fuel available for a wildfire and protect the adjacent community, as well as provide safer conditions for fire suppression.
Funding for this prescribed burn came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. The legislation provides funds for fuel treatments to help reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and benefit neighboring communities.
For more information, contact Public Affairs Specialist, Chris Wonderly, at 623-580-5520, or jwonderly@blm.gov.
https://ein.az.gov/emergency-information/emergency-bulletin/blm-plans-prescribed-fire-near-apache-junction