Reno Wildfire Creates More Smoke in White Mountain Communities

[MIKE USWFA]

WHITE MOUNTAINS - Mild weather across Arizona has brought ideal burning conditions for both prescribed fires and wildfires.

Much of the smoke seen in and near the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests has come from prescribed fires mostly on White Mountain Apache and San Carlos Apache tribal lands. However, a wildfire about 30 miles southwest of Alpine is also producing heavy smoke at times.
The Reno Fire was started on Sept. 7 in the Bear Wallow Wilderness and has been slowly growing since then until about two weeks ago when weather conditions encouraged it to grow significantly to its present estimated size of 3,000 acres.
Fire managers have been monitoring this fire daily and have placed it in a management plan that allows the fire to continue to burn at low to moderate intensities to benefit various forest components.
Expected benefits to this type of management include the reduction of accumulated woody vegetation and debris on the ground which will produce a healthier forest, improve wildlife habitat, and reduce fire suppression costs.
The Reno Fire is currently burning in the Gobbler Point area and is heading toward Snake Creek. Several roads have been closed to public use including the Gobbler Point Road (Forest Road 8156), the Snake Creek Road (FR 25D) and the McKibbons Pond Road (FR25I). The fire has also moved west onto the San Carlos Apache Reservation and is nearing the Black River.
San Carlos fire officials are also monitoring the fire and hope the fire will help consume ground fuels remaining after a timber sale. Fire managers have noted that the active burning window is about three to four hours each day as long as the sun is shining. At other times of the day or when clouds cover the sun, the fire intensity is very low and produces more smoke. Even several inches of snow last weekend did not extinguish this fire.
Hunters are asked to be especially careful with campfires now as dry conditions will allow any escaped campfire to become a wildfire.
Part of an Incident Management Team led by Dugger Hughes has been assigned to the Reno Fire as of Nov. 5 to help local fire managers make timely and effective decisions about management options and to keep costs to a minimum. This "short" team is working with tribal fire officials to maximize the benefits of this wildfire since much of the area has not seen a fire on the landscape in a long time.
Meanwhile the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are postponing some prescribed fires due to the heavy smoke currently existing in communities. Lately the Reno Fire has been producing smoke that has covered many Apache County communities whereas the smoke in Show Low and and other Navajo County communities has mostly come from tribal prescribed fires.
Tree-cutting event expected to be smoky
The cutting ceremony for the Capitol Tree on Saturday, Nov. 7, is expected to be somewhat smoky due to the Reno Fire and the several prescribed burns on tribal lands. Visitors to the event should dress appropriately for forest conditions.
To access the parking area for the shuttle to the Christmas tree, visitors are asked to use Forest Road 249 just north of Alpine and drive about five miles west to the junction with FR 276. There are signs leading from Highway 191/FR 249 junction to the parking area.

Prior Post:
New forest fire burning near Alpine; Capitol Christmas Tree not threatened
- Posted 11/05/2009, 3:00 p.m.

A new forest fire is currently burning near Alpine Arizona in the Bear Wallow Wilderness area.
According the officials, the "Reno" fire has burned 2,000 acres and is under control at this time. The burn area is bordering reservation land.
The fire is not threatening the area where the Capitol Christmas Tree will be harvested on Saturday, Nov. 7th. but officials are warning that the area is smokey.