06/09/2026
Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management Expands Collaborative Fuels Reduction Project on the Prescott National Forest
Chino Valley, AZ (6/5/2026) – As critical fuels reduction work continues southwest of Cottonwood, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management along with the Prescott National Forest have identified another important piece of treatment area as part of the Christina Goodard fuels reduction project.
Last month, work started on the 603-acre project, west of Blue Ranch and east of the Quail Springs Neighborhood, via the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) agreement with the US Forest Service. Those acres have been successfully treated with mastication work and due to the pace of work, another 759 acres will now be targeted with mastication work around the Quail Springs neighborhood. The Christina Goodard thinning project was developed to reduce the risk and severity of wildfire to Cottonwood and Clarkdale, as well as the Verde River Watershed. The mastication work strategically aligns the fuel bed to slow the spread of fire and reduce intensity, allowing firefighters easier access to conduct suppression work. The work also improves the health of the forest and the wildlife habitat.
The project should be completed in the next few months, pending weather or fire restrictions delays. Residents in the area may see machinery operating near Forest Service Road 9710E, but no road closures are planned.
The Good Neighbor Authority involves collaboration between the USFS and DFFM to perform critical fuels management work on US Forest Service lands. This partnership is designed to improve forest health and productivity by utilizing state resources to accomplish shared conservation goals across land ownership boundaries.
