Fire managers on the Bradshaw Ranger District of the Prescott National Forest are lighting several small demonstration fires this week as part of training for the Arizona Wildfire and Incident Management Academy.
The fires—each less than a quarter-acre—will occur during favorable weather conditions in the Schoolhouse Road/Loba area (near Groom Creek Schoolhouse in the Prescott National Forest, west of Prescott). They support the Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination course, with ignitions expected multiple times this week. Crews will extinguish the fires shortly after lighting, but smoke may be visible from various spots.
The Arizona Wildfire and Incident Management Academy, based in Prescott, runs March 15–20. It draws firefighters from across the country, and hosted a record 1,000 students in 2024.
These controlled burns are for educational purposes only and should not pose any safety risks.