Prescribed fire planned for Sierrita Mountains
Project will improve grasslands in the Altar Valley
Organization
Media Contact:
Tucson, Ariz. – The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Tucson Field Office and Gila District Fire Management Office, in cooperation with the Altar Valley Conservation Alliance and the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, will conduct a multiple day prescribed fire in the Sierrita Mountains, pending appropriate weather and seasonal conditions, within the months of April through June. The Keystone Peak Prescribed Fire will cover approximately 2,886 acres of BLM, state, and private land in the Sierrita Mountains, located 10 miles west of Green Valley.
Prescribed fires are intended to mimic natural fire frequency and intensity. They improve the health of the land by stimulating growth of desirable grasses, reducing invasive plants, and managing fuel loads so that natural fires are less destructive.
The Altar Valley contains 610,000 acres of desert grasslands which are some of the most biologically rich and ecologically threatened biotic communities in the world. The Altar Valley Conservation Alliance brings together private ranchers and federal, state, and local agencies to conserve and enhance the ecosystems in the area while providing opportunities for collaborative conservation stewardship. The area is in the largest unfragmented watershed in Pima County.
“The Altar Valley has some impressive natural values, and these fire treatments are part of a long-term collaborative conservation stewardship effort to conserve the natural values of the area,” said acting Tucson Office Manager Margie Guzman.
Fire crews will monitor the burned area during and after all prescribed burns. Prescribed burn information will be available the day of the burn at the Tucson Field Office. For more information, contact Public Affairs Specialist June Lowery 520-258-7223.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.