VIDEO: Itโs that time of year in Flagstaff when the grass is drying out and the pine needles are dropping, creating fire fuel. However, fall is the perfect time of year for Flagstaff Fire to do prescribed burns to keep nearby communities safe.
Many people move to Flagstaff to live in the forest. However, Bryor Nittenman, Wildland Fire Operations Engine for Flagstaff Fire, said the forest can also become dangerous when unmanaged, making it more prone to destructive wildfires.
โWe are right in the middle of the largest continuous ponderosa pine forest in the world,โ Nittenman said. โThis ecosystem is dependent on regular fire.โ He helps oversee and plan prescribed burns, such as the 40-acre burn on Observatory Mesa earlier this week, west of Flagstaff.
