Prescott National Forest

Fire and Aviation

Prescribed Fire

Powell Prescribed Burn

Goals: Reintroduce fire to a fire adapted ecosystem. Reduce hazardous fuel accumulation and risk of catastrophic wildfire in and around adjacent wildland-urban interface. Increase herbaceous cover, diversity and productivity of plant cover and wildlife habitats.

Resource Objectives: Apply prescribed fire to aspen clones to encourage new growth and expansion of clones. Protect gamble oak stands with trees larger than 5 inches in diameter at breast height (dbh). Apply prescribed fire to areas of insect mortality leaving at least two snags 18 inches or greater per acre in timber areas. Improve or increase herbaceous cover and native grass species across the area. Use prescribed fire to reduce stand density in ponderosa pine.

Prescribed Fire Objectives: Reduce the threat of potential uncharacteristic fire behavior by implementing low to moderate intensity prescribed fire. Break up fuel continuity by killing low and mid-story vegetation as well as allowing for small areas of mortality in continuous ponderosa canopies.

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