The Bureau of Land Management’s Phoenix District is planning prescribed burning operations to burn cut and piled brush from public lands in Yavapai County near Skull Valley and Yarnell. Burning may occur over multiple days through February as conditions allow.
BLM fire personnel will burn juniper piles cut from 50 acres of public lands about three miles east of Skull Valley. They will also burn piles from 30 acres of public lands about one mile south of Yarnell east of State Route 89. Thinning and burning juniper that has encroached into grasslands helps open wildlife corridors, reduce predator cover, and improve wildlife forage. Reduced fuel loads also help to lessen the intensity of unplanned wildfires and their impact on nearby communities.
To ensure public safety, BLM firefighters will ignite the piles only when weather conditions are conducive to safely burning. They will remain on scene to monitor public and resource safety. Area residents may see some light smoke during the burn operation. No local road closures are expected.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 provided funding for this prescribed burn. The legislation funds fuel treatments to help reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and benefit neighboring communities.
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