PRESCRIBED BURNING PLANNED AT MONTEZUMA WELL

Date: February 1, 2014
Contact: Karen Hughes, 928-567-3322 x223

National Park ServiceNews Release

For Immediate Release – February 1, 2014
Karen Hughes, Acting Chief Ranger, MOCA/TUZI, 928-567-3322 x223

PRESCRIBED BURNING PLANNED AT MONTEZUMA WELL

CAMP VERDE, Ariz. – The National Park Service plans to burn several piles of woody debris and Russian thistle at Montezuma Well in late February or early March. The piles will only be burned if environmental conditions are favorable and an adequate number of firefighters are available.

The piles consist of dead cottonwood and Russian thistle. This hazard fuels reduction project will reduce fuels that could feed a wildfire along the monument's boundary. Doing this will reduce the threat of fire to private homes and help protect the plants, wildlife, and important cultural resources in the monument. The project is a joint operation between the National Park Service and the Coconino National Forest.

The piles will be ignited by firefighters and monitored until they are completely out. Park visitors and nearby residents may see smoke and open flames or smell smoke in the vicinity of Montezuma Well during the burn. The project is anticipated to be completed in one day.

For information about the monument visit our website, https://www.nps.gov/moca/index.htm, or follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MontezumaNPS). For more information on the National Park Service Wildland Fire Management Program, visit https://www.nps.gov/fire.

To learn how you can reduce wildfire risk on your own property, please visit http://www.firewise.org.

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