Controlled burns urged to foster healthy forests

[azdesertfather]

Preventing a repeat of Rodeo-Chediski Fire
Controlled burns urged to foster healthy forests
by Shaun McKinnon - Jun. 3, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

A series of small, controlled fires could help heal the scars of the massive Rodeo-Chediski Fire in the forests of Arizona's Mogollon Rim.

The U.S. Forest Service wants to use fire as part of a long-term effort to restore health to some of the 461,000 acres charred in the 2002 blaze.

The prescribed burns would help clear potential fuel from overgrown areas that survived the fire and could help manage the growth of brush and trees on damaged tracts of forest. If approved, the burns would take place over 10 to 15 years on selected sites across 150,000 acres. The area lies east of Forest Lakes between Arizona 260 and the Rim.

The Forest Service's proposal won't be finalized until December, after a public-comment period and additional environmental review.

Trees could be removed from some areas before fire is used, said Mark Empey, a fire manager for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. The goals are to reduce fire fuels, help the forest ecosystem recover from the fire damage and protect communities from another disaster. Controlled burns can help prevent large-scale crown fires like Rodeo-Chediski and improve conditions for firefighters by reducing the risk of intense blazes.

[Dschur]

All over the rim above Payson there are the wild blackberry bushes. My husband came across a bear eating them on the top of Pine Trailhead once too. There are alot at the Tonto Fish hatchery too. Have gone and got handfuls there to eat. There are some also along the Highline trail too...

[azbackpackr]

Yes, these were mostly blackberries, I think. There are still some, I just don't know where they are near here, but I heard there are still some near Greer. Also there are strawberries, but they are tiny. There are a lot out where I work near Greer.