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Show A ax t f lill S' i ,-' r i 'hi S " ft v h I "- - ; i ' I .1 This sign on Highway 14 at Tod's Junction warned traffic traveling west that the road was closed past Navajo Lake Junction on Monday as the Big Wash fire raged between PANGUITCH - Fran Reynolds and Maggie Dowd, public relations representatives for the Intermountain Region 4 of the Dixie National Forest, responded late Tuesday afternoon after-noon to persistent inquiries by the Garfield County News about the Sanford Fire. The News had received numerous calls and complaints about the adverse impact to businesses and resi-v dents created by the increasing smoke from Forest Service prescribed pre-scribed burns. The News will follow-up next week with comments com-ments from area agriculturalists and business owners about the impact to their operations. Sanford Fire Tuesday afternoon: A late Tuesday afternoon news release by the Powell Ranger District, Dixie National Forest reported the following status of the prescribed burn at Sanford Creek and Adam's Head: High winds over the weekend increased fire activity. The fire had burned about 53,000 acres northeast of Panguitch in the Powell District of the Dixie pjaaonal Forest. Of this total acreage, 20,000 acres were Zion and the highway. Northeast of Panguitch in Garfield ' County, the Sanford fire continues to burn, sharply ' impacting local business. ' Forest Service Releases Information j On Sanford Fire In Garfield County I within the planned prescribed fire area; 33,000 acres were burned outside the area, primarily primari-ly to the north. On Tuesday, a national wild-land wild-land fire use team (a team of specialists who are experts in managing fires), was due to arrive in Panguitch to start developing a long-term manage- ment strategy for the fire. Given the unusually dry conditions in the area, it is expected that the fire will continue to burn at a low level until fall, when cool : weather and storms combine to completely extinguish it. The short-term management strategy continues to emphasize containment of the fire at a relatively rela-tively low cost. Crews have been stationed to protect Sanford Creek Ranch. Other protection priorities are commercial com-mercial timber on Mt. Dutton and the Mt. Dutton electronic (See FIRES on page 4-A) Local Fires From Front Page site. Two helicopters are currently supporting containment efforts with bucket drops. The Area Closure remains in effect for public safety. Fire Background The Sanford and Adam's Head Prescribed Burns were ignited in late April and early May. They were planned to improve wildlife habitat and decreased fuel accumulations. Fire officials initially met the management objectives: the fires burned in a mosaic pattern of burned and unburned areas over the landscape, as natural fires do, removing brush and opening areas for new plant growth. No significant resources were damaged and daily assessments were made of potential risks. In mid-May weather conditions became drier, so three other planned fires were not ignited. On Friday, May 31, increasing increas-ing temperatures, low humidities humidi-ties and high winds caused the Sanford Fire to jump its planned containment line. The fire was declared a wildfire, and suppression suppres-sion efforts began. A least-cost strategy was implemented, and continues to be considered the wisest strategy. On Saturday, June 8, the Adams Head and Sanford Fires burned together, fueled by high winds, the fire area is now referred to as the Sanford Fire. The Sanford Fire is being managed under a low-cost strategy strat-egy that focuses on confining the fire to an area that does not contain private property and other significant structures or (See FIRES on page 7) Local Fires From Page 4 high-value resources. Three factors govern our.... management strategy. 1. Firefighter safety. This fire poses relatively little threat -to public safety. It makes sense ;. to limit the number of firefight-. ers exposed to risk. 2. Economics. The value of " commercial timber in areas near v' the fire is estimated at $1.3 million. mil-lion. A full suppression strategy . would cost $7 million. A wiser ' -use of taxpayer dollars is to con-fine con-fine the fire at a cost of about $400,000. 3. Ecological benefits. Fire is part of the natural cycle in this country. This fire is burning in a ? . mosaic pattern that replicates , natural fires. It will help regen-erate regen-erate Aspen, remove brush, and-stimulate and-stimulate the growth of shrubs and grasses for improved. (See FIRES on page 8) Local Fires From Page 7 wildlife habitat. Big Wash Fire Tuesday Morning: The lightning-caused Big Wash Fire, located about 21 miles southeast of Cedar City, was about 40 percent contained as of 9 a.m. Tuesday after brun-ing brun-ing some 5,000 acres. With some 665 personnel on hand, containment was estimated for Saturday evening. 1 "" 1 |