Welcome
Road Conditions and Closures
Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has opened State Route (SR) 273 from the Forest/Reservation boundary to the Big Lake Recreation Area, expect construction delays.
Arizona has been given the honor of providing the 2009 Capitol Christmas Tree for the west front lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The tree will come from the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. The Superintendent of the Capitol Grounds selects the tree. In mid-November, the tree will be cut, loaded onto a semi-trailer and toured across the state of Arizona before heading east to the U.S. Capitol. In late November, the tree will be delivered to the U.S. Capitol, where it will be lowered into 5-foot deep hole, strung with lights, and decorated with thousands of handcrafted ornaments made by Arizonans.
News
¤¤ Sunset Prescribed Burn Scheduled, 11/09
¤¤ Friday Update on the Bachelor Fire, 10/23
¤¤ Thursday Update on the Bachelor Fire, 10/22
¤¤ Update on the Bachelor Fire, 10/21
¤¤ Progress Made on Three Wildfires, 10/20
¤¤ Three Wildfires Start on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, 10/19
¤¤ ASNFs Use Stimulus Money to Fund 36 Projects, 09/16
¤¤ Christmas tree permits can be purchased starting October 12th, 09/15
¤¤ Fire Activity Near Chevelon Cyn Lake, 09/02
¤¤ Fire Activity Continues, 08/19
¤¤ Call to Arizona Artists, 08/18
¤¤ Recent Fire Activity on the A-S
¤¤ Rain Subdues Wagon Draw Fire
¤¤ Wagon Draw Fire Update, 07/20
¤¤ Wagon Draw Fire Burning on Black Mesa Ranger District, 07/16
Notices
Prescribed Fire Activity
Prescribed fire season is now underway so smoke may be visible in various locations throughout the Apache-Sitgreaves. Dial 593 or 928-333-3412 to listen to a recorded message about current prescribed fire activity.
Arizona State Law on Off-Highway Vehicles
Requires annual purchase of an Off-Highway Vehicle Decal to operate any ATV or OHV in Arizona that is designed by manufacturer primarily for off-highway use and weighs less than 1,800 pounds. read more »
Motorized Travel Management
The rule requires each National Forest and Grassland to designate where the public can operate motor vehicles.
read more »
Forest Plan Revision
We are revising the strategic direction for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Your input is important to us.
read more »
Recreation Facility Analysis
Recreation Facility Analysis (RFA) is a study tool being used nationally to help national forests create a sustainable program that aligns their developed recreation sites with visitors' desires and use. read more »
Map of Arizona showing the location of the Apache-Sitgreaves Forests
The Apache and Sitgreaves National Forests, administered as one national forest, encompass over two million acres of magnificent mountain country in east-central Arizona. The Sitgreaves National Forest was named for Captain Lorenzo Sitgreaves, a government topographical engineer who conducted the first scientific expedition across Arizona in the early 1850’s... read more »
On the Sitgreaves, the major attractions for the visitors from the desert are the Mogollon Rim and eight cold-water lakes. From the Mogollon Rim’s 7,600- foot elevation, vista points provide inspiring views of the low lands to the south. The Rim (pronounced: muggy-own) extends two hundred miles from Flagstaff into western New Mexico.
The Apache National Forest ranges in elevation from 3,500 feet to nearly 11,500 feet and is named for the tribes that settled in this area. The area from Mount Baldy east to Escudilla Mountain is often referred to as the White Mountains of Arizona. From the edge of the Mogollon Rim south of Hannagan Meadow the land drops precipitously into the high desert around Clifton.
![[photo] fall color, Williams Valley](/r3/asnf/images/WilliamsValley09.jpg)
fall color, Williams ValleyWildfire Creates More Smoke in White Mountain Communities
Mild weather across Arizona has brought ideal burning conditions for both prescribed fires and wildfires. Much of the smoke seen in and near the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests has come from prescribed fires mostly on White Mountain Apache and San Carlos Apache tribal lands. However, a wildfire about 30 miles southwest of Alpine is also producing heavy smoke at times.
The Reno Fire was started on September 7, 2009, in the Bear Wallow Wilderness and has been slowly growing since then until about two weeks ago when weather conditions encouraged it to grow significantly to its present size of over 4,500 acres. Fire managers have been monitoring this fire daily and have placed it in a management plan that allows the fire to continue to burn at low to moderate intensities to benefit various forest components. Expected benefits to this type of management include the reduction of accumulated woody vegetation and debris on the ground which will produce a healthier forest, improve wildlife habitat, and reduce fire suppression costs. news release » Reno Fire update »
Black River Land Exchange
The Final Environmental Impact Statement for Black River Exchange is now available on the Projects & Plans webpage.
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests Use Stimulus Money
to Fund 36 ProjectsThe Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (ASNFs) have received over $20 million as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to fund projects for hazardous fuel treatments and the improvement and maintenance of forest facilities, trails, and roads.
Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Tom Tidwell, recently announced, "the purpose of the economic recovery legislation is to create as many jobs as quickly as possible." Tidwell added, "As we implement this legislation we will not increase the federal workforce; we will spend all funds on targeted ready projects; and we will begin our work promptly and complete it within 1 to 2 years for most activities."
The ASNFs will use this stimulus money to fund 36 "targeted ready" projects—or those ready to begin ground work—through the employment of several local contractors. Some of these projects began earlier this year—including two at Hoyer Campground; while the remaining projects are scheduled to begin later this fall or early next spring. news release »
Chris Knopp, Forest Supervisor of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests stated, "providing a tree worthy of the U.S.Capitol lawn has been both a great responsibility and honor for us. This is a wonderful opportunity for Arizonans to showcase the state’s uniqueness, diversity and beauty." news release »
Rodeo-Chediski Prescribed Burn Project Seeking Public Comment
The 2002 Rodeo-Chediski fire still burns in the memories of those most impacted by its devastating effects. Declared the worst fire disaster in Arizona's history and bearing a price tag of over $50 million, it burned over 461,000 acres and consumed 491 structures. Undoubtedly, those 50,000 residents impacted by the subsequent evacuations would wish to avoid another such catastrophic event.
To reduce the risk of future high intensity fires within the Rodeo-Chediski Fire area, the Black Mesa and Lakeside Ranger Districts of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are proposing a prescribed burn project slated to take 10-15 years to complete, considering all initial treatments and follow-up maintenance burns. Other objectives are to improve forest health in this fire dependant ecosystem and to sustain improvements to wildlife habitat for mule deer, turkey and elk that occurred as a result of the fire.
news release »
project information »Update on Forest Service Motorized Travel Planning
Motorized travel management planning continues on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. The Forests have contracted with a private firm to assist in the analysis processes necessary to implement the Travel Management Rule (TMR). Using information and data supplied by the Forest Service, the contractor will manage the process and organize, assemble and compile the required documents. Having a contractor perform these time-intensive tasks enables Forest Service specialists to provide their professional expertise to this effort, while also continuing work on other important Forests' priorities, such as forest thinning projects that reduce the risks of wildfire to local communities, and forest plan revision. read more »
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USDA Forest Service - Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
Last Modified:
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 at 14:21:03 EST