Next week, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management will begin a one-day burning operation at the State Trust Land in Pinal County to try to reduce both the fuel load and wildfire risk in the area.

On Tuesday, January 31, favorable weather conditions allowed the division to conduct an ignition at the 36-acre Lost Dutchman RX Barn. About 4 miles northeast of Apache Junction, off of US 88 and Nodak Road, just south of Goldfield Ghost Town.

Projects in this sector are adjacent to similar projects by the Bureau of Land Management.

Last year, the two agencies worked together to help reduce hazardous fuel loads in the region.

These mountains are the result of debris from these fuel projects. Planned overall goals include preserving the natural state of the Sonoran Desert, providing a fuel cutoff to help contain wildfires, and ultimately protecting nearby residents and businesses. increase.

Ignition will begin at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, with possible smoke effects on SR88 and the Lost Dutchman Ghost Town.

All scheduled burn operations, whether pile or broadcast burns, are weather dependent and may be canceled or rescheduled due to weather conditions or DFFM crew availability. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality must also approve the project before ignition can begin.

DFFM will provide pre-fire notices on the agency’s social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, and the Nextdoor platform.