The area encompasses an 800,000-acre swath from south of Mormon Lake, west into the Kaibab National Forest and north toward Tusayan.

U.S. Forest Service managers would solicit private contractors to begin thinning trees by 2012 or 2013.

The project would last 20 years and would thin ponderosa pine on 2.4 million acres of northern Arizona.

Forest managers and officials at Northern Arizona University’s Ecological Restoration Institute say that will make forests healthier and less likely to have very intense wildfires.

Institute director Wally Covington says it’s going to be the largest restoration project ever attempted.

Officials say thinned trees generally would be 16 inches and smaller and outside wilderness, steep ravines or contested areas.

Information from: Arizona Daily Sun, http://www.azdailysun.com

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.

Smoke plume from the Twin Fire near Williams. (NAZ Today /Neuman)

For today’s (Sunday, 10/4) updates, click HERE.

Click HERE for a video update from Jackie Banks, Public Affairs Officer for the Kaibab National Forest.

9:00 PM UPDATE, OCTOBER 3- The Twin Fire is listed at 1,000 acres as of 6 PM this evening, with crews able to slow the progress of the fire.  Ground and air crews worked to establish a line on the northeastern side of the fire.  The fire is still located at the base of Bill Williams Mountain.  A Type-1 Incident Management Team has arrived, and is in the process of taking over command of the firefighting efforts.

64 homes remain under evacuation order tonight.  250 personnel are currently working the fire.  –Update by Patrick Walker.

3:00 PM UPDATE, OCTOBER 3- Eye witnesses and sources are reporting heavy smoke across I-40, with small snags burning up to the interstate.  The National Weather Service forecasts wind gusts in the 35-40 mph range for the rest of the afternoon, and are issuing a High Wind Warning in effect for the daylight hours Sunday. Sustained winds are forecast from the southwest at 30-35 mph, with gusts of 55 mph possible.

Update: October 3- 10:00 a.m.   Over night the Twin fire grew an additional 450 acres, putting the total acreage for the fire up to 800 acres. Air tankers have resumed operations this morning. Resources assigned to the incident include 5 hot shot crews, 3 water tenders, 4 type II hand crews, 1 dozer and 8 engines.  A Type I Incident Management Team will arrive today.  The fire incident objectives include provide for firefighter and public safety; minimize impacts to private properties; protect communication sites on top of Bill Williams Mountain and protect Bill Williams’s watershed.

Friday night operations concentrated on protecting the Escalante subdivision, but high winds pushed the fire northeast into the subdivision.  No stuctures have burned.  A reverse 911 call was initiated by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office  to the residences along the southwest corner of the City.  Specifically west of 9^th st. and south of Sheridan ave.  Approximately 64 homes have been evalucated.   The Red Cross has established an evacuation center at the Williams Elementary Middle School.

Update:  October 2 – 7:45 p.m.  The Twin Fire has now grown to approximately 350 acres beyond the prescribed burn area.

Crews will be conducting burnout operations throughout the evening  south of the Escalante subdivision to protect private property.

The extended forecast calls for moderate winds through the weekend. Smoke is present in Williams, along I-40 and surrounding areas.  Public safety officials advise drivers to be cautious while traveling through the area.

Camping and hunting is not recommended near the fire vicinity. If you are planning to travel to the area, officials recommend calling ahead for the latest conditions.

WILLIAMS (NAZ Today)- Kaibab National Forest fire managers today transitioned the Twin Prescribed Burn to a Type I wildfire.  Suppression actions are being taken to stop fire spread on the northeast side of the fire. Approximately 90 personnel have been dispatched to the scene.

The Twin Fire is approximately 950 acres in size, about 150 acres larger than the prescribed area, and is three miles southwest of Williams, west of Bill Williams Mountain.  The prescribed burn was initiated yesterday.  During the burn, winds shifted from the northeast to the southwest.  Several spot fires occurred outside the project area on the northeast side of the burn as a result.

Today, additional resources including six air tankers were ordered to suppress the fire.  The extended forecast calls for moderate winds through the weekend with a chance of precipitation. Camping and hunting is not recommended near the fire vicinity. There are currently no road closures or immediate danger to nearby structures.

A Type-1 helicopter dips into White Horse Lake, Aug. 17, 2009 (Photo: Chad Black/apsn.us)

8/22UPDATE:  The Taylor Fire has now reached 95% containment.  Management of the fire has been handed over from the Type I operation over to the local Type III managers.  The remaining fire crews are working to improve the containment lines around the fire.

Hunting season began Friday, August 21, 2009. Hunters in area 6B need to be aware of the following emergency fire area closure (Order Number 04-09-10-F): The area is closed starting at the junction of Forest Road (FR) 538D and 538, east along FR 538D to FR 231A, southeast along FR 231A to FR 231, southeast to FR539, west along FR539 to FR 6249, west 1.5 miles to power line, southwest along the power line to the Taylor Cabin Trail, northwest to Winter Cabin Trail, northeast along Winter Cabin Trail to the Kelsey Springs trail junction, east to the junction of FR 538 and 538D. Kelsey Springs, Taylor Cabin and Winter Cabin trails are closed.

The following roads will remain open for thru traffic only: FR 231A, 231, and 538D. This order became effective at 6:00 AM, August 21, 2009, and will remain in force until September 21, 2009 or until rescinded.

8/19 UPDATE:  The Taylor Fire is now 85% contained.  Fire crews have been working throug out the day to secure and extend lines around the Taylor Fire.  In some areas of the fire mop-up and rehabilitation operations have started.   Protective fire wrap that was placed on the Fernow cabin was scheduled for removal today.  Officials at the Coconino National Forest also reports what they describe as a large demobilization of crews.  Some crews have begun to be released from the fire.

While heavy smoke and ash have significantly subsided throughout the region officials are still concerned about lingering smoke in some areas, including the Verde Valley.

8 P.M. 8/18 UPDATE:  With a total of 3,545 acres already burned, fire crews working on the Taylor Fire have now achieved 65 percent containment.

Throughout the day smoke has drifted to the south into the Verde Valley and Sedona area.  Some smoke was still present in the Flagstaff area, but the inversion effect that caused yesterday’s dense smoke had subsided.

As of this evening a total of 595 fire fighters from around the region are working to control the Taylor Fire.

11 A.M. 8/18 UPDATE: The Coconino National Forest office in Flagstaff has confirmed that the fire has grown to 3,000 acres, burning in rough terrain 22 miles southwest of Flagstaff. The fire is burning both on the ground and up into the ladder fuels.  Containment is at 10% with the fierfighters using a suppression strategy to attack the fire.

Spotting and torching continue to be the prominent burning activies.  Firefighters conducted burnout operations on the northeast and southern edges of the fire.  505 personnel are fighting the fire.  Total resources assigned to the Taylor Fire:  20 crews (12 hot shot crews), four helocopters, six engines, one bulldozer, and two water tenders.

The National Weather Service Incident Meteorologists are forcasting winds similar to yesterday, from the southwest sustained at 10 mph, gusting to 25 mph. The wind, coupled with low relative humidity, has produced a high growth potential for the fire.  Stay with NAZToday.com for further updates. (Update by Patrick Walker)

Previous Fire Updates:

6:30 P.M. 8/17 UPDATE:  Fire crews are continuing to make progress on the fire and now have the fire 10% contained.

11 A.M. 8/17 UPDATE:  The National Interagency Fire Command’s Southwest Coordination Center is reporting the Taylor Fire at 850 acres, with 0% containment. Parts of the fire are showing 100-foot flame lengths and the fire is spotting up to one-half mile.  The fire’s growth potential is listed as “high” and five structures are listed as threatened.  Fire crews have reported that the APS KV line, shut down last night, has sustained some damage.

The New Mexico SWC has processed orders to send two air tankers and 12 Type 1 crews to the fire.  END UPDATE (Update by Patrick Walker)

Heavy smoke and some ash has settled into the Flagstaff and Verde Valley areas from the Taylor Fire burning in Sycamore Canyon and Turkey Butte.  The Coconino County Health Department has released information about  wildfire smoke and your health.

High winds with gusts of up to 25 mph have stirred the fire which has already consumed approximately 400 acres.  The fire is burning in a steep and rocky section above Sycamore Canyon.  By 10 P.M. last night, the fire had grown to 650 acres.

Eighty five to one hundred personnel are currently working to contain the fire, including Hotshot crews from Prescott and Blue Ridge.  A type 2 crew, along with fuel management crews, and Flagstaff Fire crews are also helping to fight this fire.

Fire managers are also utilizing a heli-tanker, air attack crews, and two heavy tankers.

Many of the forest service roads in the area are closed, or are in the process of being closed including forest roads 535, 231, and 538.  Most of the hiking trails in the area have also been closed due to the fire danger.  A complete list of road and trail closures is available on the Coconino National Forest Website.

This season has seen relatively minor forest fire incidents, but dryer conditions are beginning to set in throughout Northern Arizona.  The Forest service reminds everyone to be extremely careful with fire in the National Forests.