ENVR Coconino, Kaibab National Forests are closing. What campers and visitors need to know

[Green Co.]

Arizona national forests to close due to wildfires. Here's what visitors should know

Apache-Sitgreaves, Coconino, Kaibab, and Tonto National Forests in Arizona are reopening due to recent rain. Prescott is still closed.

www.azcentral.com

If you’re thinking of heading to the Coconino National Forest in Northern Arizona to escape the sweltering summer heat, put those plans on hold.

According to a press release, the entirety of Coconino National Forest will close to the public beginning at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 23. Kaibab National Forest officials have announced that the forest will close at 8 a.m. Wednesday as well.

Coconino National Forest officials cited the ongoing wildfires, dry conditions and lack of manpower as reasons for the closure.
According to the website wildfiretoday.com, the Rafael fire, a lightning-caused fire near Sedona, spread east-northeast on Sunday and by Monday morning was 12 miles southwest of Flagstaff.

Full closure means that all public recreation, including camping, hiking and other activities within the boundaries of the forest will be prohibited. Officials have not given an end date to the closure but told The Republic that reopening will depend on conditions, including enough rain to reduce the risk of wildfire, in the coming days and weeks.

As of Monday afternoon, Tonto National Forest is not scheduled to close.

What if you are currently camping?
The Forest Service said it will attempt to reach as many campers and campsites as possible to let people know to vacate the forest before the beginning of the closure. Only those who have private property within Coconino will be allowed inside along with authorized personnel such as Forest Service officials and firefighters.

According to the June 21 press statement, all restoration projects will stop and concessionaires and outfitters who work within the forest will also be prohibited from entering. Violators of the closure and restrictions will be fined.

 

[Green Co.]

I know that earlier in the year, some campgrounds in Coconino were closed, but now they're closing the entire forest, and Kaibab as well. Many people used Kaibab for camping, as it borders both north & south rims of the Grand Canyon.

 

[Thinwater]

I just spent the last weekend in the Kaibab doing both the north and south rim of the Grand Canyon. There were elk everywhere in the morning and evening, especially around the south rim. The haze across the canyon was bad enough to limit good picture taking about 2/3 of the days.

It was hot and dry for sure but no fires anywhere.

I did the Sandia crest ride on my motorcycle yesterday outside of ABQ on Rt66. 14 miles of twisties once inside the forest, each way, while gaining several thousand feet of elevation. It was 100 in the city when I left for the ride, cold enough for a coat once on top.

I brought two bikes out (Suzuki 650 V Strom and KTM EXC500-F) and picked up a Yamaha Super Tenere while I was here.

There is much good life to be lived among all of the online doom. Get out and enjoy life while you still can. If the doom does not get us the birthdate will.

 

[Dystonic]

Blame me. I visited that area for the first time in early April and loved it there. This isn’t the first time I loved some place and then disaster within a year.

 

[Sid Vicious]

Closing an entire forest. The arrogance

 

[Pinecone]

Blame me. I visited that area for the first time in early April and loved it there. This isn’t the first time I loved some place and then disaster within a year.

Are we related?

 

[Thinwater]

 

[Meemur]

I just spent the last weekend in the Kaibab doing both the north and south rim of the Grand Canyon.

So glad that you got to go camping! Thanks for sharing the lovely photos. It'll be several years before I'm free to go back. Such a lovely area!

I'm not suggesting that anyone break the law (the park service does have drones), but I'll bet there will be a lot of illegal camping and hiking going on. Some travelers just aren't going to take "no" for an answer.

That's part of the reason our governor declined to shut down any of the parks: she knew people, especially locals, would break the law (hundreds of them!). We're in a drought now, too, but most counties have just banned fires and fireworks, not closed anything.

 

[Southside]

It is so beautiful out there.
Too bad my wife can't take ANY altitude. She starts feeling bad at 2,000 feet.

SS

 

[Dystonic]

Are we related?

Here’s me at the south rim in April. If we’re related, I’ll try and make up for all those Christmases I missed.

Not sure why on my phone the pics are normal and upload sideways.

 

[Oldotaku]

This coming weekend is Ham Radio Field Day, and I was hoping to operate from my vacant lot in Holbrook. Due to fuel costs and all the fires between Phoenix and Holbrook, I'm looking closer to home for operating locations. I might just set up in the greenspace out front of the condo and work from my yard. Oddly, the fires have been keeping Phoenix's temperature down. The smoke from the fires East of the valley has been blocking the sun a bit, and keeping the temperatures about 2-3° below predicted highs. That's a high price to pay for lower temperatures.

 

[Pinecone]

Here’s me at the south rim in April. If we’re related, I’ll try and make up for all those Christmases I missed.

Not sure why on my phone the pics are normal and upload sideways.

LOL I don't see a physical resemblance, but I do see we share similar tech abilities! Thanks for the pics. I hope you had a great time!

We went to the South Rim first. Stuffed solid with people even though it was a cool March day. Evidently it was Spring break and it was filled with unhappy children.

On another trip we went to the North Rim. I much prefer that one. Much, much smaller viewpoint area. Maybe less than a mile if I remember correctly, but you could enjoy the views because you weren't tripping over people. Beautiful lodge there, too.

 

[Squid]

Here is the South Rim early June

 

[packyderms_wife]

Coconino National Forest officials cited the ongoing wildfires, dry conditions and lack of manpower as reasons for the closure.

Someone posted in the RV group photos of a horrific wildfire they were trying to escape with their 42 foot travel trailer in tow and there was a HUGE line of trucks/trailers behind them. Their campground was being evacuated. THIS on a curved highway coming down what looked like a mountainous road. They were getting a lot of criticism from the locals calling the "campers" flat landers and telling them to stay away. Anyway... IIRC this was in Arizona someplace.

So I don't know with the extreme drought out west maybe the forest service is being proactive so they don't have to rescue a bunch a campers like they did a year or so ago.

 

[Pebbles]

We have a house in Williams, about 11 miles from the Raphael fire. Smoke has been really bad and our Williams neighbors are really scared but the wind is from the southwest so hopefully it won't hit Williams. Right now they are worried about Flagstaff and Sedona, east of Williams. The wind has been horrible this summer.

Closing the forests needed to happen but it is so sad for tourists. We go to Williams twice a month. I always walk downtown where are the tourists go. Since people feel free to travel again they have been visiting the Grand Canyon, Williams, Flagstaff, Sedona in droves. The tourists are from far and wide. Very few foreign tourists, everyone is from the United States.

 

[Pinecone]

I hope your neighborhood is safe, Pebbles. It's too early for this. It's going to be a long summer.

 

[hiwall]

I think it pushed all the tourists over here to Apache-Sitgreaves national forest.
It is so dry here they should close this one too.

 

[Sweetwood]

I’m not convinced this is all about wild fire, it’s just a good excuse. I spend a large amount of time in the wild and I’m noticing a pattern every year. The gov closes section of wildland for one reason or another then and it takes longer and longer to reopen it. I have been straight lied to by my local Forest service office in regards to a closure. A service road leading to a trail head was closed due to a “washout”. I just simply bypassed the gate and hiked my way in. As soon as I got to the trail head I realized there was no washout in the road. Agenda 21 wants us all locked in the cities, yeah?

 

[Matt]

Colorado closed the san juan forest when durango was burning a few years ago (416 fire).

Tourists are stupid and will get themselves killed, those big pines are no joke in a wild fire.

 

[Esto Perpetua]

I’m not convinced this is all about wild fire, it’s just a good excuse. I spend a large amount of time in the wild and I’m noticing a pattern every year. The gov closes section of wildland for one reason or another then and it takes longer and longer to reopen it. I have been straight lied to by my local Forest service office in regards to a closure. A service road leading to a trail head was closed due to a “washout”. I just simply bypassed the gate and hiked my way in. As soon as I got to the trail head I realized there was no washout in the road. Agenda 21 wants us all locked in the cities, yeah?

I forgot about Agenda 21. My first thought was it's an attack on the free spirited and free minded nomads.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Colorado closed the san juan forest when durango was burning a few years ago (416 fire).

Tourists are stupid and will get themselves killed, those big pines are no joke in a wild fire.

Tourists also tend to ignore no fire bands. Case in point I was up in Boundary Waters Canoe Area in 2002 IIRC and there were red flag and orange flag signs everywhere. And yet some idiot in the same campground as us decided to have a pit fire and started a damned fire. I got really nervous, things just didn't feel right and we packed up and left before said idiots fire took hold. Thank heavens the forest service was already in the area and they managed to get it contained. Granted our campground was an Orange Flag warning but I was still nervous as all get out. I was lucking and got my research done the day before and we were just hanging out fishing for crappie.

 

[Pebbles]

USFS just announced that Apache-Sitgraves Forest closed as of Thursday.

 

[hiwall]

Apache Sitgreaves National Forests to close Thursday morning/Press Release attached | MyRadioPlace

myradioplace.com

Apache Sitgreaves National Forests to close Thursday morning/Press Release attached
June 22, 2021

Due to extreme fire danger and historically dry conditions during a time when firefighting resources are stretched thin, the entire Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests will close for public safety, beginning Thursday, June 24 at 6:00 a.m.
A full forest closure means that the public is prohibited from entering any part of Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests at any time. Those with private inholdings will be allowed into their property.
More than two dozen fires have started on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in the last few days. Two of these fires required additional assistance by incident management teams. Further, fire behavior has been extreme with crowning, torching and long-range spotting, threatening lives and property. While sporadic precipitation may fall in areas of the forest over the coming weeks, this closure will remain in effect until fire activity decreases, sufficient precipitation falls to reduce the risk of wildfire and hot, dry conditions are no longer forecast to continue.
Forest Service personnel will attempt to reach as many people as possible to begin vacating campsites and informing individuals who are camping in the forest. Campers and visitors to the national forest should vacate their campsites before the closure begins and the public should cancel any plans for visiting the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests for the next several weeks.
The violation of closures and fire restrictions carries a mandatory appearance in federal court, punishable as a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of up to $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or up to six months in prison, or both.
Order No. 03-01-21-16 is available on the forest website. Stay up to date on Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests news by checking the A-S website and following @A_SNF on Facebook and Twitter.

 

[KFhunter]

I just spent the last weekend in the Kaibab doing both the north and south rim of the Grand Canyon. There were elk everywhere in the morning and evening, especially around the south rim. The haze across the canyon was bad enough to limit good picture taking about 2/3 of the days.

It was hot and dry for sure but no fires anywhere.

I did the Sandia crest ride on my motorcycle yesterday outside of ABQ on Rt66. 14 miles of twisties once inside the forest, each way, while gaining several thousand feet of elevation. It was 100 in the city when I left for the ride, cold enough for a coat once on top.

I brought two bikes out (Suzuki 650 V Strom and KTM EXC500-F) and picked up a Yamaha Super Tenere while I was here.

There is much good life to be lived among all of the online doom. Get out and enjoy life while you still can. If the doom does not get us the birthdate will.

I've wanted a 500EXC quite awhile now since I stupidly sold my 380MXC

now I can plate that 380mxc and can get upgraded carb

 

[packyderms_wife]

I’m not convinced this is all about wild fire, it’s just a good excuse. I spend a large amount of time in the wild and I’m noticing a pattern every year. The gov closes section of wildland for one reason or another then and it takes longer and longer to reopen it. I have been straight lied to by my local Forest service office in regards to a closure. A service road leading to a trail head was closed due to a “washout”. I just simply bypassed the gate and hiked my way in. As soon as I got to the trail head I realized there was no washout in the road. Agenda 21 wants us all locked in the cities, yeah?

You far under estimate the stupidity of humans when it comes to starting wild fires because it’ll never happen to them!

 

[Pinecone]

I guess it would help if arsonists tried to take advantage of the dire situation. If you are caught in the forest, which is closed and a fire starts nearby . . . . Too many arson fires in the last few years.

 

[Sterling]

Just left the canyon today, was very beautiful.

 

[packyderms_wife]

I guess it would help if arsonists tried to take advantage of the dire situation. If you are caught in the forest, which is closed and a fire starts nearby . . . . Too many arson fires in the last few years.

Agreed, and lone hikers who don’t give a damn. We won’t go into how poorly managed the forests are to start with.

 

[Thinwater]

I've wanted a 500EXC quite awhile now since I stupidly sold my 380MXC

now I can plate that 380mxc and can get upgraded carb

There were none (new) for sale in the entire country as of 2 weeks ago when my buddy tried to buy one to ride with me. My local FL dealer had calls from as far as TX and MN looking for one, every week.

 

[Thinwater]

I guess it would help if arsonists tried to take advantage of the dire situation. If you are caught in the forest, which is closed and a fire starts nearby . . . . Too many arson fires in the last few years.

Setting fires in locations and times like this is literally in several terrorist handbooks including the very well produced Alkida "Inspire" magazine. Its publishers got to meet a well deserved Hell Fire rocket from a drone. They had other topics of interest for the aspiring scum bag terrorist including "How to build a bomb in the kitchen of your mom" and "Build the ultimate (People) mowing machine".

Like gun laws are ignored by the criminals, arson laws will be ignored by terrorists and the people who obey the law are the ones who get screwed.

 

[hiwall]

We won’t go into how poorly managed the forests are to start with.

Arizona has a very aggressive fire mitigation program in national forests. I think they are doing an exceptional job (at least in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests for sure).

 

[Thinwater]

Arizona has a very aggressive fire mitigation program in national forests. I think they are doing an exceptional job (at least in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests for sure).

Agreed, I saw huge forests where they had raked up branches and other debris into piles instead of leaving spread out all over the ground. If some fool set one on fire it could not spread to others because they were far apart.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Arizona has a very aggressive fire mitigation program in national forests. I think they are doing an exceptional job (at least in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests for sure).

glad to hear that Arizona has a clue.

 

[Pebbles]

Arizona has a very aggressive fire mitigation program in national forests. I think they are doing an exceptional job (at least in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests for sure).

ABSOLUTELY!!! Coconino and Kaibab also have an exceptional fire mitigation program.

 

[Sterling]

Yeah driving through all that from kanab to the canyon then down, was very clean, except for the haze in the sky.