With wildfires representing a continual threat to the Arizona landscape, the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) has commenced an extensive fuel reduction project to guard the vulnerable community of Pine Lake in Mohave County. The community, nestled in the Hualapai Mountains southeast of Kingman, is classified as highly susceptible to wildfire disasters. This new project, backed by a grant, will unfold in several phases. According to a DFFM report, the initial phase focuses on enhancing fuel breaks and reducing hazardous vegetation along crucial routes within Pine Lake.
The endeavor follows up on historical efforts including past community support and hazard reduction by both the DFFM and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Post the close call with the Flag Fire that nearly struck Pine Lake, DFFM bolstered their Firewise USA initiatives, which led to securing nearly $4 million from the USDA – US Forest Service's Community Wildfire Defense Grant for the project at hand. "Unfortunately, and due to many factors including recent fire history, vegetation type and fuel loading, terrain, the community’s design, and limited ingress and egress, Pine Lake will always be vulnerable to fire," Prevention Division Chief Aaron Casem told the DFFM. Casem was intimately involved with the Dean Peak Fire suppression in 2013, giving him firsthand knowledge of the risks faced by Pine Lake.
Fuel breaks are a critical part of wildfire defense, and past collaborations between the BLM, Mohave County, and the Pine Lake community have established barriers like the 5-mile, 100-acre buffer created in 2001. The project's ongoing stages include maintaining and improving upon these breaks. Furthermore, DFFM plans to engage with private landowners to enhance structure protection and create defensible spaces, effectively shielding homes from fire threats. "The whole goal of this project is to protect the residents of Pine Lake, Pinon Pines, and other areas throughout the Hualapais. This project contains meaningful mitigation work with thoughtfully designed plans intended to establish a safety net in and around the communities," Battalion Chief Mike Laing explained in the DFFM announcement.
The scale of the task is immense, with the project covering a span of 2,000 acres, which is expected to unfurl over a few years. Its timing and progress depend on various factors like fire activity, resource availability, and fire restrictions. The DFFM's collaboration with local agencies is key in the strategic execution of these plans. Arizona is one of the select states to receive the USDA’s Community Wildfire Defense Grant, marking a significant investment in the long-term safety of Pine Lake and its surroundings. For more information about the project, contact Tiffany Davila at DFFM via phone at 602-540-1036 or email at [email protected].
