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BLM and USWFS Plan Prescribed Fire Treatments on BLM-Managed Lands in Arizona

Reducing the threat of wildfire and restoring public lands
Arizona
Phoenix DO
Arizona Strip DO
Colorado River DO
Gila DO
Media Contact
BLM Arizona Newsroom
BLM Office:
Arizona State Office

PHOENIX — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service will begin prescribed fire treatments on BLM-managed land in Arizona. Treatment operations will be conducted throughout the fall and winter as weather, fuel, and air quality become favorable. These treatments are carefully planned to reduce hazardous fuels, protect nearby communities, and restore native ecosystems. Information about specific upcoming and active burns is available online.

Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools for reducing wildfire risk and improving habitat. Prescribed fire treatments are carefully planned and executed within the U.S. Wildland Fire Service to help protect communities and strengthen the health of our public lands.

Techniques range from broadcast burning, which is the application of fire to an entire area, to hand and machine pile ignitions. These burns focus on increasing safety in the wildland-urban interface and restoring ecological function to the landscape. Targeting built-up fuels and residual materials from previous thinning operations decreases the load of dead trees, branches, and underbrush that pose significant wildfire risks. 

What the public should know:

  • During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight.
  • Residents are encouraged to close windows at night to avoid smoke impacts.
  • When driving in smoky areas, drivers should slow down and turn on headlights.
  • People with heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions should ask their doctors about protecting themselves from smoke and should monitor their local air quality map.

All burns are carried out when weather, fuel conditions, and air quality are within specific parameters. Firefighters use a combination of natural features and constructed control lines to keep the fire contained, with protocols in place to minimize smoke impacts on nearby communities.

For more information, contact the BLM district office or the U.S. Wildland Fire Service Geographic Area associated with the burn.

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.