Smoke lingers from a controlled burn along Forest Road 22, North Kaibab Ranger District

Smoke is expected to persist in the area around Dry Park, spanning from the junction of Forest Road 206/22 to the west to the intersection of Forest Road 462/206/22 to the east, according to North Kaibab Ranger District.

Firefighting teams are actively monitoring the region as substantial sources of fuel, such as sizable deceased trees and stumps, continue to emit smoldering heat.

Fall fires in Arizona’s northern forest

Kaibab National Forest’s fall prescribed fire season started strong with treatments done on with 5,292 acres in the Billy Sink, Road Hollow North, and Road Hollow South units, as well as an additional 1,695 acres on Grand Canyon National Park’s Atoko Point unit on the North Rim.

Additional burns toward the end of October on 9,350 acres in the Dry Park area seem to have been the source of continued smoky conditions in the area.

Land management in Kaibab National Forest

The Forest Service’s land management approach focuses on the long-term well-being of the forest, which involves the mitigation of forest fuels and the deliberate use of controlled burns across the landscape. Controlled burns are instrumental in reducing the accumulation of hazardous fuels resulting from factors such as drought, climate change, insect infestations, disease, and decades of fire suppression.

Additionally, fire plays a crucial role in returning nutrients to the soil, fostering the growth of trees, wildflowers, and other vegetation, and enhancing the habitat for endangered and threatened species. These endeavors are in harmony with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which seeks to increase the utilization of controlled burns and other treatments to bolster forest resilience for future generations.

Prescribed fire and local air quality

About air quality as a result of forest burns, Kaibab NF said, “We recognize that smoke can impact residents, visitors, and our fire personnel. We will continue to coordinate closely with our partners and communities to minimize smoke impacts as much as possible. All prescribed fires on the Kaibab National Forest are subject to Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The department’s Air Quality Division: Smoke Management webpage provides details about its air quality program.”