Fire Managers on the Bradshaw Ranger District plan to conduct a prescribed fire, primarily pile burning, on Big Bug Mesa – pending favorable conditions. These machine and hand piles are from recent hazardous fuels reduction and thinning projects. Ignitions could begin as early as Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.
Recent and ongoing rainfall events have provided favorable conditions for pile burning in numerous areas across the forest.
Expect smoke to be light and visible from multiple locations including Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Dewey-Humboldt and surrounding areas. As nighttime temperatures cool, smoke may linger in drainages and valleys. In the interest of safety when driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road, obey all traffic signs, and use caution when traveling in the vicinity of prescribed burns as firefighters and fire-related traffic will be in the area. Go to https://fire.airnow.gov/ to find more detailed information about air quality.
The Prescott National Forest’s land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health and includes reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Reducing hazardous fuels will help reduce the threat of high-severity, high-intensity wildfire to the public, adjacent private property, and neighboring communities.
Fire managers will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before a burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be canceled. All prescribed fire activity is dependent on factors laid out in the burn plan, including the availability of personnel and equipment, weather conditions, fuel moisture, potential smoke impacts, and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fires through the forest website and social media. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning begins.
