Forest Service directs brigade fire in front of Fort Tuthill

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Coconino National Forest fire marshals are currently responding to a lightning-caused forest fire that broke out Saturday in an area adjacent to Fort Tuthill. We are beginning burnout operations today that will produce significant and noticeable smoke southwest of Flagstaff.

Located 1 mile west of the Fort Tuthill Fairgrounds, the Brigade Fire is in an important and strategic area when it comes to protecting the community of Flagstaff as it is only 3 miles southwest of the city.

Updates on this fire will be posted on the Brigade Fire Inci website as they are received.

Managing this fire will allow it to consume dangerous forest fuels such as pine needles, cones and dead wood, which will help create a buffer in an area that is typically vulnerable to the direction of catastrophic wildfires during traditional southwesterly winds. In the long term, treating this fire will help protect residents, the surrounding community, power lines and the airport.

Fire managers are attempting to treat approximately 1,700 acres and will be conducting suppression efforts around the fire over the next few days, weather permitting. Therefore, due to its proximity to Flagstaff, the smoke will be highly visible through the weekend.

With current wind forecasts coming from the south and southwest, smoke could impact areas such as the Flagstaff Ranch neighborhood, Fort Tuthill, the City of Flagstaff, Fort Valley, Doney Park and Interstates 17 and 40.

Smoke is an unavoidable byproduct of land restoration work and wildfires. While winds in early fall typically direct smoke upward, allowing it to spread more widely and reducing the smoke’s impact on surrounding communities, residents and visitors to the area should be prepared for persistent smoke in the fire area. A tool for tracking air quality and smoke impacts is fire.airnow.gov.

A new smoke complaint hotline has been established for the public at 928-226-4608 where the public can leave their name and number if they would like to speak with the fire department about smoke impacts and concerns regarding this managed wildfire.

Read more stories from The Mountain Cities at Signals A Z.com.

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