Date: August 26, 2011
Contact: Shannan Marcak, 928-638-7958
Contact: Punky Moore, 928-635-5653
Grand Canyon, Ariz. - National Park Service (NPS) and US Forest Service (USFS) fire managers on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon have decided to manage the Lower Fire for multiple objectives within both Grand Canyon National Park and the Tusayan District of the Kaibab National Forest.
The lightning-caused Lower Fire was discovered in Grand Canyon National Park on August 19 and is approximately three acres in size. It is slowly moving eastward through pine litter and needle cast in open ponderosa pine forest with some patches of pinyon-juniper. The fire is located about 12 miles southeast of Grand Canyon Village in the vicinity of Moran Point. It is 1½ miles south of Moran Point, ¾ mile southeast of Desert View Drive (also known as Highway 64), and ½ mile north and west of the park/forest boundary.
The Lower Fire is being managed for both resource and protection objectives. Resource objectives for the fire include returning fire to a fire-adapted ecosystem and recycling of forest nutrients in order to maintain forest health. Protection objectives for the fire include protection of sensitive cultural resources, Hull Cabin, and the Arizona Public Service power line corridor.
By working together to manage the Lower Fire rather than focusing on jurisdictional boundaries, NPS and USFS fire managers have a greater opportunity to manage fire across the landscape in order to meet forest health objectives.
Currently the fire is being monitored while cultural, historical, and heritage resources in the area are surveyed and assessed.
Smoke from the fire may be visible from Desert View Drive in the vicinity of Moran Point. Coordination with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is ongoing.
To follow the progress of the Lower Fire or to view pictures and maps of the fire, please visit the fire's page on InciWeb at www.inciweb.org.
