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16K acres in Tonto could be closed for 3 years
By Joe Kullman, Tribune
More than 16,000 acres in a popular Tonto National Forest recreation area northeast of Scottsdale may be closed for up to three years to let it recover from damage done by two recent wildfires.
"Closing it off is the best thing," said Grant Loomis, a U.S. Forest Service hydrologist. "That area just does not get enough moisture for seeds to germinate very fast, and we need the time to allow for a natural recovery."

The Bart fire burned more than 14,500 acres before being contained May 20.

The St. Claire fire, which was contained May 15, spread over almost 2,000 acres close to the Verde River and Bartlett and Horseshoe lakes about 10 miles from north Scottsdale.

Both fires were the result of human activity, officials said.

Flames did not reach campgrounds and boating facilities along the river and lakes, but nearby areas popular for off-road motor vehicle riding were extensively burned.

Tammy Pike, off-road vehicle recreation manager for the Tonto Forest, said she is contacting riding clubs to ask members to stay off the burned areas.

Tonto Forest rangers aren’t permitted to fence off the area until the Forest Service’s Southwest regional headquarters approves an environmental rehabilitation plan and funding, so the public’s cooperation is needed, Pike said.

"We may have crews out there mopping up (after the fires), and we don’t want people getting in their way," she said.

Plus, because of the fire damage "there may be some big saguaros ready to fall and you wouldn’t want to be near them when they do,’’ she said.

More disturbance of the terrain by off-road motor vehicles would cause soil erosion and spreading of noxious invasive weeds that will prevent the ecosystem from reestablishing itself, Loomis said.

Roads through the burn area might be opened within six months of a closure, but off-road trails likely would remain closed for years, he said.

Tonto Forest archaeologist Steve Germick said firefighters kept the blazes from getting to nearby sites containing valuable remnants of the area’s settlement centuries ago by the Hohokam people.

Risk of additional damage remains high as heavy desert vegetation produced by Arizona’s exceptionally wet winter continues drying and providing potential fuel for wildfires.

"This year we have four times the amount of fuel in the desert than we have had the last few years," Pike said. "The public needs to be reminded to be extremely cautious around drying vegetation."

The St. Claire fire was caused by a burning sport utility vehicle, officials said. The cause of the Bart fire is being investigated.

The Forest Service is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of anyone responsible for the blaze.

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