Prescribed fires planned near Grand Canyon Village starting June 19

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Grand Canyon National Park fire managers-working with resources from Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Rocky Mountain National Park, Zion National Park, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Bryce Canyon National Park, Saguaro National Park and Kaibab National Forest anticipate initiating a prescribed fire treatment around June 18, as weather and fuel moisture conditions allow.

The Long Jim Prescribed Fire is adjacent to the developed area on the South Rim, east of South Entrance Road and south of Highway 64 (Desert View Drive) East. Comprised of pinyon, juniper, and ponderosa pine, the treatment unit is 2,849 acres in size. Objectives specific to the Long Jim Rx include improving the defensible space in the wildland/urban interface (WUI) within the South Rim developed area, returning fire to a fire-adapted ecosystem, and reducing fuel loads.

Smoke from the Long Jim Rx will be most visible during ignition operations and will likely gradually diminish after ignitions are completed. Heavy smoke along Highway 64 East may impact traffic, which may require a pilot car. Please drive slowly, turn your lights on, avoid stopping in areas where fire personnel are working, and follow directions of signs and personnel.

Smoke will also be visible from various locations on the North and South rims, including Grand Canyon Village, Desert View, and most overlooks. Fire managers are working with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality-Smoke Management Division to reduce and mitigate potential smoke impacts.

During the Long Jim Rx, the Arizona Trail will be closed from Vann Drive and Highway 64 to Yaki Point Road. A detour around the fire will take Arizona Trail hikers on the Greenway west of Highway 64 to a power line corridor southeast of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center (GCVC). At the power line corridor, the detour will continue east along the corridor until it reconnects with the Arizona Trail.

Information provided by NPS