North Rim of the Grand Canyon / NPS

Smoke may be visible along in various locations on the North Rim and South Rim of the Grand Canyon as fire managers from Grand Canyon National Park and the U.S. Forest Service begin prescribed fall fire operations this week. 

Fire managers will be assessing weather, fuel moistures, and other conditions for opportunities to conduct burns safely and effectively into December.

Units targeted for burning are along Highway 67 near Jacob Lake, west of the Telephone Hills area, and in the vicinity of Demotte, and southwest of Forest Road 22 on the North Kaibab Ranger District, and along Highway 67 near the North Rim Developed area and the Cape Royal area within Grand Canyon National Park.

Prescribed fire smoke from will be most visible during ignition operations and will likely gradually diminish after ignitions are completed. Smoke may be visible along Highways 89A and 67 as well as from various locations on the North Rim and South Rim. The Cape Royal Road will be closed from October 14 to 18. After this closure, drivers using the Cape Royal Road are advised to proceed slowly with their headlights on, avoid stopping in areas where fire personnel are working, and follow all posted signs and directions from staff. While no road closures are anticipated beyond these dates, traffic control measures or one-way traffic may be implemented if smoke impacts create unsafe driving conditions.

Smoke is expected in the canyon, one to three days after each ignition. Fire managers are working with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality- Smoke Management Division to reduce and mitigate potential smoke impacts. Fire managers plan to treat a total of 25,371 acres on the North Kaibab Ranger District and 4,347 acres on Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim with broadcast burning, targeting light surface fuels and downed woody debris composed of logs, twigs, and stems. These types of prescribed fires are important for removing forest floor fuels which are the primary carriers of fire during wildfire events. Weather conditions and outlooks play a key role in the success of prescribed fire implementation and fire managers are working closely with National Weather Service forecasters prior to prescribed fire implementation.

Prescribed fires play an important role in decreasing risks to life, resources, and property. Fire managers carefully plan prescribed fires, initiating them only under environmental conditions that are favorable firefighter and visitor safety and to achieving the desired objectives. Prescribed fire objectives include reducing accumulations of hazard fuels, maintaining the natural role of fire in a fire- adapted ecosystem, and protection of sensitive cultural and natural resources.

Plans for each burn unit contain a set of parameters which define the desired weather and fuel conditions under which a prescribed fire can be initiated. Prior to implementing the burns, fire managers will evaluate current conditions and will only begin ignition if the prescribed fire conditions are within allowable environmental parameters.

For additional information, visit the Kaibab National Forest fire management webpage and Grand Canyon National Park fire management webpage.