Flagstaff Urban Zone Fire Risk Assessment Summary

The Two Minute Summary

Flagstaff Urban Zone Fire Risk Assessment

While the debate over forest restoration and forest fuels reduction continues, the risk to the Flagstaff area from catastrophic wildfire increases. Time for action in and around Flagstaff is running out.

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Urban Interface—where urban and wildlands mingle.
40,000 acres (nearly 50%) of the forest immediately surrounding Flagstaff is subject to moderate-high risk of catastrophic (crown) wildfire. Dense, young stands of ponderosa pine and high levels of forest floor debris are the major problems.
Wildfires on the Coconino National forest are increasingly larger and more destructive. On the average, wildfires burn nearly 3x the acres per year than in the first half of this century. In 1996 alone, nearly 5% of the ponderosa pine forest on the Coconino National forest burned.
Ponderosa pine trees subject to crown fire are usually destroyed. In the urban interface, catastrophic fire may result in the loss of homes and lives.

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Catastrophic wildfire is not compatible with sustaining ponderosa pine forests.
Catastrophic wildfire activity is very minimal in fully restored ponderosa pine forests.
Thinning, followed by prescribed fire, is an effective tool for reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
Logging can increase fire risk, but effective thinning (logging) reduces fire risk.
A combination of wildland and private property actions to reduce catastrophic fire risk is the most effective means of protecting all of the values in the urban interface.

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