Fire Danger Closing Six Areas Of Coconino National Forest

FLAGSTAFF, AZ – The temperature is hot and the fire danger is real. Starting Wednesday morning, six large areas of the Coconino National Forest will be closed to the public.

The United States Forest Service announced that the areas – six in the Flagstaff Ranger District, one in the Mongolian Rim Ranger District, and one in the Red Rock Ranger District – are being closed beginning Wednesday at 8 a.m. "due to fire danger and for public safety."

The above map shows the affected areas.

"Forest closures of any kind are not taken lightly," the forest service said in a statement. (Get Phoenix Patch's real-time news alerts and free morning news letters. Like us on Facebook. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app.)

The affected areas are:

Flagstaff Ranger District

• San Francisco Peaks/Mt. Elden area (JPG)
• Kelly Canyon area (JPG)
• Fisher Point area (JPG)
• Mormon Mountain area (JPG)

Mogollon Rim Ranger District

• Mogollon Rim area south of state Route 87 (JPG)

Red Rock Ranger District

• Fossil Creek area (JPG)

The rest of the forest outside the closed areas remain under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions.

The forest service says that closures and restrictions will be lifted when there's been enough rain to reduce the risk of wildfires and when dry conditions are not forecast to continue.

A closure across the entire national forest may be implemented in the future if dry and hot conditions persist without precipitation.

Violating closures and fire restrictions is a violation that carries a mandatory appearance in federal court, punishable as a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of up to $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or up to six months in prison, or both.

Map via USFS.