The Coconino National Forest’s Mogollon Rim Ranger District is managing a lightning-caused wildfire that sparked earlier this week in an area already scheduled for a prescribed burn.
Officials say the Wolf Fire was reported about three miles northwest of Clints Well on Monday. It was measured at roughly an acre Thursday.
Fire managers planned to treat the same area later this month and will instead now take advantage of the lightning-sparked ignition.
Crews expect to treat 11,000 acres over the next two weeks.
Land treatment using fire is a critical part of the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy to reduce risk to infrastructure and communities.
The northern Arizona-based Type 3 team will take over management on Monday. A closure order will likely be issued for the area soon.