A joint effort by the Coconino County Flood Control District and Coconino National Forest is underway to thin the forest and remove fallen trees on the slopes of the San Francisco Peaks near Snowbowl Road in order to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire in the adjacent wilderness area or post-fire flooding in the Upper Rio de Flag watershed.
The Leroux East Complex Fuels Reduction Project covers 600 acres in total across various parcels on both sides of the road. Work began approximately two weeks ago and will continue through November. The contractors for the project are Perkins Timber Harvesting, based in Williams, and Bob Lee & Sons Tree Service, based in Payson.
Jay Smith, Forest Restoration Director for Coconino County’s Flood Control District, points out the treatment area of the Leroux East project on the slopes of the San Francisco Peaks Tuesday afternoon.
From left: Lucinda Andreani, Coconino County Flood Control District administrator, Patrice Horstman, Coconino County supervisor, James Perkins, owner of Perkins Timber Harvesting, Jay Smith, Coconino County Forest Restoration Director, Matt McGrath, Flagstaff District Ranger for Coconino National Forest, Andy Bertelsen, Coconino County manager stand in front of a log deck at the Leroux East forest
restoration project on Tuesday afternoon on the San Francisco Peaks.
A Ponsse Forwarder gathers logs and debris in the Leroux East forest restoration project just off Snowbowl Road on the San Francisco Peaks Tuesday afternoon.
Lucinda Adreani, Coconino County deputy manager and flood control district administrator, speaks with James Perkins of Perkins Timber Harvesting as Coconino County manager Andy Bertelsen listens Tuesday afternoon at the Leroux East forest restoration project off of Snowbowl Road.
Matt McGrath, Coconino National Forest Flagstaff District Ranger, talks about the partnership between the Coconino National Forest and the Coconino County Flood Control District on the Leroux East forest restoration project on the slopes of the San Francisco Peaks below Arizona Snowbowl.
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