Starting Tuesday, April 16, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management in conjunction with Arizona State Parks and Trails and Superstition Fire and Medical District will conduct a one-day pile burn project at Lost Dutchman State Park, northeast of Apache Junction in Pinal County.

DFFM project managers intend to start ignitions around 9 a.m. taking into consideration appropriate and safe weather conditions. Smoke may be visible to nearby residences and to drivers along State Route 88, according to a release.

Smoke is expected to move to the southeast during the morning and northwest by the afternoon with very little impact to residential areas or roads.

Once crews finish ignitions, resources will remain on the project through the weekend to monitor the piles. The project will not impact Lost Dutchman State Park visitors.

For the last few years, the Department of Forestry and Fire Management has collaborated with Arizona State Parks and Trails to help with their wildfire risk reduction projects at various parks throughout the state. Arizona State Parks and Trails conducts the routine, ongoing vegetative maintenance and DFFM provides the qualified resources to burn off the piles.

The project area consists of lands within the designated park boundaries. Prescribed burning of debris piles provide a more efficient way to reduce the leftover fuel from hand or mechanical treatments and helps further safeguard the park and nearby communities. DFFM recently completed similar projects at Picacho Peak State Park and Deadhorse Horse Ranch State Park with plans to continue project work at state parks as necessary.

All prescribed fire operations must have prior approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Unfavorable weather can also delay or cancel burns out of public and firefighter safety. Once ignitions begin, notifications will be made on DFFM’s Facebook and X pages and through the agency’s mobile phone application. That app can be downloaded at https://www.apexmobile.net/app/azdffm/.