JULY 17, 2013
Coconino, Kaibab, Prescott and Tonto National Forests to lift fire restrictions
ARIZONA – Due to decreasing fire danger and the onset of the monsoon season, the Coconino, Kaibab, Prescott and Tonto National Forests in Arizona will lift fire restrictions at 8 a.m., Wednesday, July 17.
In addition to lifting all fire restrictions, the Coconino and Tonto national forests will reopen the Fossil Creek area, which closed July 1 due to wildfire risk, to public entry.
The four forests imposed fire restrictions in May when fire danger began increasing rapidly. Fire restrictions are an effective way to reduce the number of preventable, human-caused fires.
Forest managers lift fire restrictions when fire danger lessens. Criteria used to determine when to implement and lift fire restrictions include current and predicted weather, fuel moisture, fire activity levels and available firefighting resources.
While campfires will be allowed on the four forests, visitors are urged to use caution and follow basic safety tips. Forest users should never leave a campfire unattended. To extinguish a campfire, ashes should be stirred using a shovel and mixed with dirt and water, making sure everything is wet and cold to the touch. As Smokey cautions, “If it's too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave!”
Know Before You Go!
Members of the public may obtain information on the status of any fire restrictions and closures via the following sources:
• Arizona Fire Restrictions http://firerestrictions.us/az/
• Fire Restrictions on Public Lands in Arizona and New Mexico 1-877-864-6985
• Coconino NF Website www.fs.usda.gov/coconino
• Kaibab NF Website www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
• Prescott NF Website www.fs.usda.gov/prescott
• Tonto NF Website www.fs.usda.gov/tonto
