Arizona Strip District
| Contacts: | Rachel Tueller, Public Affairs Officer, Phone: 435-688-3303 or E-mail: Rachel_Tueller@blm.gov | |||
BLM Fire Managers Plan to Conduct Two Prescribed Burns in Vicinity of Mt. Trumbull; Nixon Rx and Lo Rx
St. George, Utah — In July 2012, the Mt. Trumbull Complex located 65 miles south of St. George, Utah on the Arizona Strip, was ignited by lightning within the Mt. Trumbull Wilderness. The Mt. Trumbull complex includes the Mt. Trumbull, Coyote, and Pueblo Fires. Since the ignition of the complex, fire managers have been managing the fires for multiple objectives other than full suppression to meet future desired conditions established in the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument Resource Management Plan. As of October 30, 2012, the Mt. Trumbull Complex is approximately 1,200 acres. Smoke from the Coyote fire may be visible from towns like Colorado City, Fredonia, and Pipe Spring, Arizona off Highway 389. The Mt. Trumbull trailhead is closed to ensure public safety. No road closures or evacuations have been implemented.
Fire managers for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) portion of the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument are also planning to conduct two separate prescribed burns (Rx) totaling 356 acres. The Nixon Rx and the Lo Rx prescribed burn will be located 5 miles south west of the Mt. Trumbull Complex. Depending upon conditions, the prescribed burns will begin November 1 or 2, 2012, and last approximately one week if weather and fuel conditions allow. The prescribed burns are intended to decrease future wildfire risk and protect cultural and natural resources within the Monument.
The “Nixon and Lo Rx” prescribed fires will reduce the accumulation of hazardous fuels. The burns will also restore fire to the ecosystem and reduce the density of juniper and brush species, promote conditions that allow for growth of native grasses and forbs, and increase native plant diversity.
Prescribed burns must meet certain weather-related and environmental factors prior to ignition. BLM fire staff will manage and monitor the prescribed burn activity. Smoke may be present during the length of the project in this remote area. Smoke emissions will be managed in accordance with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality regulations.
No closures are anticipated but public access may be restricted during ignition and periods of active fire spread to ensure public safety. Signs will be posted to notify the public. Please use caution when travelling in the area of the fire.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. 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.