PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) started a new brush fire fuel reduction project in north Phoenix on Monday.
The reduction is part of efforts to protect Arizona’s residents and critical infrastructure as well as improve the health of the State Trust land, according to the announcement. It is also meant to mitigate wildfire risk.
The project, called Reach 11, is located on 155 acres of State Trust land near the Loop 101 and State Route 51 interchange and Reach 11 Recreation Area.
Details on the brush fire fuel reduction
DFFM said that a majority of the work will be done within and around washes where the vegetation is the densest. Crews will remove invasive species and low hanging tree limb by hand.
The department noted that invasive species, such as buffelgrass, red brome and stinknet, fill in natural gaps allowing fire to burn continuously through an area.
Once the fuel reduction is complete, the area will be reseeded with chosen native plants to prevent new invasive species and return the area to a Sonoran desert ecosystem.
The plants will be scattered in clumps and have bare ground in between in order to remove fuel and reduce possible spread helping the area resist wildfires.
DFFM said that impact to visitors of the Reach 11 Recreation Area will be minimal but that Arizonans should still be aware of crews.
The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2025, barring any weather or fire restriction delays.
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