Kingman Field Office
| Contacts: | Mike Brown | , 928-718-3756 |
Prescribed Burning Planned in the Music Mountains
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Kingman Field Office will be conducting a prescribed burn in Iron Basin about eight miles southeast of Meadview in the coming weeks. Weather permitting, burning may begin as early as November 7, and is expected to be completed within three to five days. The 1,700-acre project area is located approximately 40 miles north of Kingman on public lands.
“The purpose of this prescribed fire is to improve wildlife habitat – primarily for mule deer - and decrease wildfire risk by reducing stands of dense brush in the Music Mountains,” said BLM Kingman Fuels Specialist Wade Reaves. “Burning will open up the country; reduce some of thick stands of chapparal, pinion, and juniper; and improve the browse.”
The Arizona Game and Fish and Mule Deer Foundation are partners in the multi-year burn project and have contributed substantially with funding.
Reaves added that area residents should not be affected due to the remoteness of the project area. Smoke may be visible at times from Meadview, Dolan Springs, Valley Vista, Peach Springs and Kingman. Smoke is expected to disperse out of the area within a short period of time and burning will be halted if smoke begins to significantly impact area communities.
Jeep trails accessing the burn area will be closed and monitored by fire personnel during the burn operation to provide for public safety. The burning can create smoky and dangerous driving conditions. Depending on the fire behavior and burning conditions, the trails will be closed for two or three days. A helicopter will be used to ignite the prescribed fire in this remote location and BLM must account for everyone in the burn area.
For more information on this project, contact Wade Reaves, at the BLM Kingman Field Office (928) 718-3700.
The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.