Snake Ridge Fire
Snake Ridge Fire burning on May 28, 2017
Snake Ridge Fire burning on May 28, 2017
LocationCoconino National Forest, Arizona, United States
Coordinates34°36′07″N 111°27′25″W / 34.602°N 111.457°W / 34.602; -111.457
Statistics
Cost$1 million
Date(s)May 19 – July 13, 2017
Burned area15,333 acres (62.05 km2; 23.958 sq mi)
CauseLightning
Map
Snake Ridge Fire is located in Arizona
Snake Ridge Fire
Snake Ridge Fire is located in the United States
Snake Ridge Fire

The Snake Ridge Fire was a wildfire that burned 15,333 acres (62.05 km2) of the Coconino National Forest in the U.S. State of Arizona. The fire was ignited by a lightning strike on May 19, 2017, as the United States Forest Service (USFS) was conducting controlled burns within the Coconino National Forest to reduce the severity of future wildfires in the area. The USFS decided to manage the Snake Ridge Fire, named after the feature where the fire was ignited, as a controlled burn. Firefighting efforts focused on protecting infrastructure by burning fuels near power lines. These burns were completed on June 4 and the USFS subsequently allowed the fire, which had by this time been surrounded by firebreaks, to burn out. The fire was allowed to burn until July 13 and cost a total of $1 million to manage and contain. There were no serious environmental consequences as a result of the fire.

Background

Wildfires are a natural part of the ecological cycle of the Southwestern United States.[1]: 3–6  The Snake Ridge Fire was one of 2,321 wildfires that burned 429,564 acres (173,838 ha) in Arizona in 2017.[2] The State of Arizona expected a "normal" season but one with high fire potential in the state's southern grasslands because of high temperatures, low humidity, and an abundance of fuels.[3] By August 2017, wildfires had burned the most land since the 2011 season.[4] In May 2018, the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University published a study of the 2017 wildfire season in Arizona and New Mexico and observed that more land had burned in Arizona than the average of the previous ten years. Eleven fires were studied, of which ten were in Arizona and included the Snake Ridge Fire.[5]: 1 

Fire

On May 1, 2017, the United States Forest Service (USFS) began conducting controlled burns in the Coconino National Forest to reduce fuel for potential wildfires and protect public utilities.[6] At about 03:02 PM on May 19, lightning started a fire on the Snake Ridge,[7][8] within the Coconino National Forest and was spotted within the day by the Baker Butte Lookout Tower.[7] The USFS decided to manage the Snake Ridge Fire like a prescribed fire and allotted it an area of 55,000 acres (22,000 ha), which had already been designated for controlled burning.[9][10] By May 23, the fire was burning on an area of 125 acres (51 ha) and firefighters focused on controlled burns of fuels around power lines.[10][11] The first closure of areas adjacent to the fire was issued on May 24.[12][13] This area was expanded to the north and east by May 27.[14]

By May 27, the fire had grown to 4,850 acres (1,960 ha) and was being managed by 100 firefighters.[15] Rainfall on May 30 slowed the growth of the Snake Ridge Fire to 8,200 acres (3,300 ha). To help it spread over rougher terrain, firefighters began using flammable materials dropped from helicopters on May 31.[16][17][18] Although more than doubled in size to 11,189 acres (4,528 ha) the next day, the force managing the fire was halved as they continued to make controlled burns to protect power lines in the area.[19] On June 4, those burns were completed and the USFS changed its strategy to containing and observing the fire for its remaining duration.[20] The fire reached its greatest extent of 15,333 acres (6,205 ha) and was fully surrounded by firebreaks on June 5,[21][22] and burned until July 13.[5]: 16 

Aftermath

The Snake Ridge Fire burned 15,333 acres (62.05 km2) and cost $1,000,000 ($1.19 million, adjusted for inflation) to manage and suppress. Of the area the fire burned, only 2 percent—mostly in the north of the burn area—saw even 25 percent mortality of the local ponderosa pine forest canopy.[5]: 16  No infrastructure within the burn area was damaged.[23]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Snake Ridge Fire.

References

  1. ↑ Pyne, Stephen J. (2016). The Southwest: A Fire Survey. University of Arizona Press. ISBN 978-0-8165-3448-7.
  2. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 28, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  3. ↑ Jeong, Yihyun (April 11, 2017). "What to expect for Arizona's 2017 wildfire season". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  4. ↑ Ziegler, Zachary (August 31, 2017). "Looking Back on Fire Season in Arizona, and Places Touched by the Flames". Arizona Public Media. Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Lynch, Michael; Evans, Alexander (May 2018). "2017 Wildfire Season: An Overview" (PDF). Southwestern United States. Northern Arizona University. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Prescribed burns planned for week of May 1, 2017". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Snake Ridge Fire". InciWeb. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 8, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  8. ↑ Dungan, Ron (July 7, 2017). "How do wildfires get their names? Did gremlins start the Gremlin Fire?". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  9. ↑ Fleishman, Dick (December 17, 2017). "A Northern Arizona Forest Fund Success Story — The Case of Banfield and Snake Ridge Fires, and Connecting Water and Power". National Forest Foundation. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Wildfire above Mogollon Rim helping to clean the forest (May 23, 2017)". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  11. ↑ Cowan, Emery (May 23, 2017). "Managed fire burns northwest of Clints Well". Arizona Daily Sun. Archived from the original on May 24, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Closure order in effect for immediate area of the Snake Ridge Fire". Arizona Emergency Information Network. State of Arizona. Archived from the original on October 9, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  13. ↑ Heinsius, Ryan (May 24, 2017). "Coconino National Forest Officials Close Snake Ridge Fire Area". KNAU. Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Update: Managed fire grows to 7,500 acres". Arizona Daily Sun. May 27, 2017. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Snake Ridge Fire Update (May 27, 2017)". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  16. ↑ De Nova, Jessica (May 30, 2017). "Snake Ridge Fire crews expect smoke to blow away soon". KPNX. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  17. ↑ Cowan, Emery (May 31, 2017). "Aerial ignitions used to make progress on managed wildfire". Arizona Daily Sun. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Great balls of fire: Arizona crews use flammable spheres to fight Snake Ridge Fire". KPNX. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Update June 3, 2017: Sunday morning burn operations planned along powerline". InciWeb. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 10, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Evening update for June 4, 2017". InciWeb. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  21. ↑ "New wildfire discovered above Mogollon Rim; Snake Ridge Fire fully contained". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  22. ↑ Cowan, Emery (June 6, 2017). "9:30 a.m. update: Type III team assigned to Kendrick Mountain fire". Arizona Daily Sun. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Afternoon update for June 5, 2017". InciWeb. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
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