Arizona News – Firefighters are preparing to tackle hundreds of acres of land surrounding the Tango Fire, a lightning-caused wildfire first reported last week located 13.7 kilometers northeast of Clints Well.

Fire officials plan to begin firefighting operations on the morning of August 15 and complete them by Friday evening to anticipate the forecast monsoon rains.

Smoke will be noticeable to residents in the Happy Jack and Clints Well communities and may also be visible in communities below Mogollon Rim and possibly to motorists along Interstate 17 in the Camp Verde area.

No buildings are at risk from the Tango fire.

Wildfires are a natural part of the Coconino National Forest ecosystem, and when managed carefully and properly according to required planning processes, they improve the landscape in many long-term ways.

Low-intensity fires are a form of soil management that adds nutrients to the soil and reduces the accumulation of hazardous fuels (such as dry pine needles and fallen leaves) on the forest floor.

Controlled, low-intensity fires can also protect critical infrastructure, watersheds, wildlife habitats, and culturally sensitive areas from future high-intensity wildfires.

The Tango Fire is in an area that has experienced previous fires and where controlled burns such as the Blue Ridge Urban Interface Project are conducted. Proactive fire management efforts on the Tango Fire will increase the amount of treated land near Clear Creek communities and help link fire history in this fire-dependent ecosystem.

This will help further reduce hazardous fuels and protect infrastructure, property and resources near surrounding communities.

Fighting the Tango fire is in line with the Forest Service’s 10-year wildfire management strategy, which aims to increase the use of landscape management measures, including fire, to improve forest resilience for future generations.