For Immediate Release:  September 6, 2007

Contact:  Scott Sticha, Public Affairs Specialist   435-688-3303

 

St. George, Utah – Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National Park Service (NPS) fire managers will conduct a 9,000 acre prescribed burn in the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument on the Arizona Strip. The Andrus prescribed fire may be implemented as early as Friday, September 7 and is expected to burn for several days. The prescribed burn is intended to decrease future wildfire risk and protect life and property, as well as cultural and natural resources in the monument.

 

Road 1046 from the Poverty administrative site to Andrus Pond will be closed during ignition and periods of active fire spread to ensure public and firefighter safety. Signs will be posted to notify motorists.

 

Prescribed fires must meet certain weather related and other environmental factors prior to ignition. An interagency team of approximately 30 fire staff will manage and monitor the prescribed fire activity. Smoke emissions will be managed in accordance with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality regulations.

 

The project will reintroduce low intensity fire into the pinyon-juniper/sagebrush woodland to reduce hazardous fuels and restore ecosystem function and condition. Fire is a natural process on the Shivwits Plateau that increases biodiversity and restores wildlife habitat.

 

For more information please call the BLM fire office at 435-688-3350.

 

The one million acre Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument is jointly managed by the NPS and BLM. 

 

-BLM & NPS-