BLM to Ignite Controlled Burn in Hualapai Mountains for Ecological Restoration

In Arizona, wildfires have wreaked havoc over the past decade, causing billions in damages and significant harm to local ecosystems. To mitigate these risks, federal officials are set to initiate prescribed burns next month in Parker and the Hualapai Mountains.

The planned burns near Hualapai Mountain will target dried vegetation around Pinion Pines, Atherton Acres, and Pine Lake. Key sites include Hualapai Mountain Park and the communication facilities at Hayden and Getz Peak, along with the BLM’s Wild Cow Springs Campground.

The Hualapai Mountain region is still recovering from the Ridge Fire, a lightning-caused blaze in 2020 that consumed over 3,000 acres. In response to wildfire threats, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management secured $3.7 million in federal grants last May to bolster fire prevention efforts in this vulnerable area.

In Parker, prescribed burning will occur approximately half a mile west of the Parker Dam, across the Colorado River in California. U.S. Bureau of Land Management officials indicated that these burns may take place multiple times between November and March, contingent on weather conditions. Public access to these areas will likely be restricted during burn activities to ensure safety.