Environmental Year in Review: Fires, flooding and forest restoration in Flagstaff – Arizona Daily Sun

Climate change was again a major focus in Flagstaff in 2021 and the region saw the effects firsthand with a summer of extreme wildfires. The community moved forward on critical climate regulations and worked proactively to curb the severity of future issues, with some drawing public criticism.

Here are the top environmental stories of 2021:

Flagstaff signs onto carbon neutrality plan

The Flagstaff City Council passed the Carbon Neutrality Plan in June, pledging to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

The Carbon Neutrality Plan was first prompted in 2020 by a citizen petition urging Council to declare a climate emergency. It only establishes a framework for future action and fine-tuning continued throughout the year.

Projected costs include a one-time investment of $90 million to enhance bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and $5 million annually to support high-frequency bus lines, according to the plan. That is in addition to costs not yet specified for future infrastructures, such as reducing nonrenewable energy use.

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The Carbon Neutrality Plan attempts to address and ultimately reduce emissions through multiple areas, including infrastructure improvements that support walking or biking. Most of Flagstaffs 2020 increase was attributed to transportation and waste. The city will also work with Northern Arizona University and the council to craft feasible goals and timelines.

North Rim bison removal

Thousands of hunters applied for one of 12 spots to reduce the number of bison living on the Grand Canyons North Rim.

The herd of bison has been living on the North Rim since the 1990s, resulting in frustration for park managers, scientists and conservationists.Park officials worried the herd of an estimated 800 animals could seriously impact water, vegetation, soils and archeological sites.

Grand Canyon National Park officials said reducing the number of bison will protect the parks ecosystem, resources and values. It marked the first time hunting was allowed within the national park.

Applicants had to pass a shooting test, putting three of five bullets in a 4-inch target from 100 yards. They also had to have a support team, be willing to field-dress and haul out their kill, provide their own camping and hunting gear, and complete several safety and training programs.

But local environmental and conservation groups called for a nonlethal solution. Bison had been relocated to more suitable areas in the past and officials, such as Colorado Gov. Jason Polis, questioned why that couldnt be done again, but park officials said they needed to reduce the size of the herd quickly.

Rafael Fire burns thousands of acres

The Rafael Fire burned more than 78,000 acres southeast of Flagstaff in June. The lightning-caused blaze threatened multiple communities and left hundreds of residents on edge as they waited for a possible evacuation.

Fire crews were spread thin with multiple fires burning across the state. But the Rafael Fire demanded attention, peaking at 600 crews.

Ultimately, they utilized back burns to contain the rapidly-growing northern and western portions of the fires. But the loss of vegetation from the Rafael and Backbone fires increased the risk of post-fire flooding.

Forest closure impacts campers, businesses

The Coconino National Forest again closed due to the high risk of wildfires over the summer, forcing campers out of the woods and impacting outdoor-dependent businesses.

The restriction lasted for weeks and the city saw an uptick in displaced forest dwellers moving their camping equipment within city limits. In one such instance, RV, vans and sedans were given 24 hours to decamp in a Walmart parking lot after the forest closed.

The Flagstaff City Council ultimately denied a citizen petition to repeal the citys public camping ordinance,prompting further conversations about how to better support unsheltered and vulnerable populationsespecially as the seasonal summer closures become the norm.

Some businesses, like Arizona Snowbowl, were forced to close due to the restrictions. Others saw cancellations amid uncertainty and looming evacuation orders during whats typically considered their busiest season.

Wood for Life continues

Throughout the early fall, crews with the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps cut wood from the slopes of the San Francisco Peaks and Bill Williams Mountain aspart of the second annual Wood for Life partnership.

The project has a unique goal of restoring the meadow and riparian areas threatened by growing strands of coniferous trees before then giving the wood to tribal communities in need of firewood. The demand for alternative heating on tribal lands grew significantly with the closure of the Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta Coal Mine, creating a home heating crisis on the Navajo and Hopi nations.

The project resulted in the donation of nearly 2,000 cords of woods with more efforts already lined up for the next few years.

New chapter in Grand Canyon uranium mining

Uranium mining near Grand Canyon National Park again came under controversy this year.

Canada-based Energy Fuels Resources applied for a new aquifer protection permit for the Pinyon Plain Mine. The mine is located 10 miles away from the gates of the Grand Canyon National Parks South Rim.

Environmental groups and the Havasupai tribe pushed the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to deny the application. Activists have worried for years that the mine's proximity to the Grand Canyon means it is contaminating groundwater in the area, with the further potential to poison springs throughout the Grand Canyon -- including the Havasupai tribes sole source of water.

Its just the latest chapter in the ongoing conflict over uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. The tribe and two environmental groups lost their bid to close the mine in 2020 following a lengthy court battle.

Developments for 4FRI

The future of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) looked bleak after Forest Service officialscanceled the Phase 2 contract, citing several challenges that made the project unfeasible.

The project involves treating millions of acres of forested land throughout northern Arizona to reduce the risks of wildfires and improve forest health. Its one of the largest forest restoration projects in the country.

But the announcement left state officials and advocates concerned that this was the end for 4FRI after years of work.

The project found new life though after theU.S. Forest Service pledged $54 million for forest restoration in November. This allowed crews to begin treating approximately 135,000 high-priority acres immediately with a goal of 35,000 acres completed by the end of the 2022 fiscal year.

Fire officials gather for prescribed burn training

Fire officials from across the West gathered in Flagstaff to conduct several city-led burns as part of a training exchange

Flagstaff Forest Health Supervisor Neil Chapman said Flagstaff is a good place to host such an event. For one, the Flagstaff Fire Department has not only had a wildlands fire division for close to two decades but also has been doing a lot of proactive work on the forest, including prescribed burns.

The hope was to bring municipal and federal fire officials together to share ideas and strategies in addition to better preparing local departments to handle wildfires. More attention is being put on the initial response and preventative measures as wildfires grow in size and intensity with each passing season and housing developments encroach more on forested land.

Participants participated in classroom training about managing fire and the importance of long-term fire suppression in addition to tackling prescribed burns firsthand during the training.

Reporter Bree Burkitt can be reached atbburkitt@azdailysun.comor on Twitter at@breeburkitt.

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Environmental Year in Review: Fires, flooding and forest restoration in Flagstaff - Arizona Daily Sun