The 2010 Schultz Fire

The summer of 2010 brought wildfires and near record monsoon rains to the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona. The human-caused Schultz Fire on the Coconino National Forest northeast of Flagstaff was the largest wildfire in Arizona during 2010. It was ignited by an abandoned campfire on June 20th. High winds quickly drove the fire across the steep eastern slopes of the San Francisco Peaks, burning a total of 15,075 acres in 10 days.

Following the fire, heavy rains from the 4th wettest monsoon on record in Flagstaff resulted in numerous debris flows, significant erosion, and substantial flooding of the residential areas below. While debris flows were confined to the forest upslope of residential neighborhoods, multiple sediment and ash-laden floods caused extensive damage to homes, property, and infrastructure up to four miles from the burn.

In early August of 2010, geoscientists with the Arizona Geological Survey joined researchers from the Rocky Mountain Research Station's Southwest Watershed Science Team to document and quantify the effects of fire on geomorphic and watershed processes following the Schultz Fire. The goals were to provide land managers and government agencies with the tools necessary for assessing and effectively mitigating post-fire geologic hazards, potential impacts to long-term water quality and supply, and threats to infrastructure, human life, and property, as well as to understand local landscape evolution processes.

Related Reports

• Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Report

Related Publications

• Carroll, M.D. 2011. Movement of channel-borne sediments in the 2010 Schultz Fire Burn Area. Thesis. Northern Arizona University.

• Koestner, K.A., M.D. Carroll, D.G. Neary, P.E. Koestner, and A. Youberg. 2011. Depositional characteristics and sediment availability resulting from the post-Schultz Fire Floods of 2010. Paper presented at the 24th Annual Symposium of the Arizona Hydrological Society; Watersheds near and far: Response to changes in climate and landscape; September 18-20, 2010; Flagstaff, AZ. 5 p.

• Koestner, K.A; Youberg, A.; Neary, D.G. 2011. Field trip guide to the 2010 Schultz Fire burn area. Paper presented at the 24th Annual Symposium of the Arizona Hydrological Society; Watersheds near and far: Response to changes in climate and landscape; September 18-20, 2010; Flagstaff, AZ. 22p.

  

  View of the Schultz Fire on June 24, 2010, with Timberline Estates in the foreground (photo by D. Fleishman, USDA Forest Service).

• Neary, D.G., and K.A. Koestner. 2011. Rock gabion, rip-rap, and culvert treatments: Successes and failures in post-fire erosion mitigation, Schultz Fire 2010. Paper presented at the 24th Annual Symposium of the Arizona Hydrological Society; Watersheds near and far: Response to changes in climate and landscape; September 18-20, 2010; Flagstaff, AZ. 5 p.

• Neary, D.G.; K.A. Koestner, and A. Youberg. 2011. Hydrologic impact of high severity wildfire: Learning from the past and preparing for the future. Paper presented at the 24th Annual Symposium of the Arizona Hydrological Society; Watersheds near and far: Response to changes in climate and landscape; September 18-20, 2010; Flagstaff, AZ. 8 p.

• Koestner, K.A., M.D. Carroll, D.G. Neary, P.E. Koestner, and A. Youberg. 2011. Depositional characteristics of post-fire flooding following the Schultz Fire, San Francisco Peaks, Arizona. Pp. 90-93 in A.B. Goncalves and A.A.B. Vieira (eds.). Proceedings of the 3rd International Meeting of Fire Effects on Soil Properties; 15-19 March 2011; University of Minho, Guimaraes, Portugal. Guimaraes, Portugal: Universidade do Minho, NIGP e CEGOT.

• Neary, D.G.; Koestner, P.E. 2011. Rock gabion, rock armoring, and culvert treatments contributing to and reducing erosion during post-wildfire flooding, Schultz Fire 2010. Pp. 128-131 in A.B. Goncalves and A.A.B. Vieira (eds.). Proceedings of the 3rd International Meeting of Fire Effects on Soil Properties; 15-19 March 2011; University of Minho, Guimaraes, Portugal. Guimaraes, Portugal: Universidade do Minho, NIGP e CEGOT.

• Neary, D.G., K.A. Koestner, A. Youberg, and P.E. Koestner. 2011. Post-fire rill and gully formation, Schultz Fire 2010, Arizona, USA. Pp. 60-63 in A.B. Goncalves and A.A.B. Vieira (eds.). Proceedings of the 3rd International Meeting of Fire Effects on Soil Properties; 15-19 March 2011; University of Minho, Guimaraes, Portugal. Guimaraes, Portugal: Universidade do Minho, NIGP e CEGOT.

• Youberg, A., K.A. Koestner, and D.G. Neary. 2011. Wildfire, rain, and floods: A case study of the June 2010 Schultz wildfire, Flagstaff, Arizona. Arizona Geological Survey Newsletter. Volume 40 (3). 5 p.

• Youberg, A., K.A. Koestner, D.G. Neary, and P.E. Koestner. 2011. Geomorphic aspects of post-fire soil erosion, Schultz Fire 2010. Pp. 140-143 in A.B. Goncalves and A.A.B. Vieira (eds.). Proceedings of the 3rd International Meeting of Fire Effects on Soil Properties; 15-19 March 2011; University of Minho, Guimaraes, Portugal. Guimaraes, Portugal: Universidade do Minho, NIGP e CEGOT.

• Youberg, A., K.A. Koestner, D.G. Neary, and P.E. Koestner. 2011. Rainfall and geomorphic aspects of post-fire soil erosion, Schultz Fire 2010. Paper presented at the 24th Annual Symposium of the Arizona Hydrological Society; Watersheds near and far: Response to changes in climate and landscape; September 18-20, 2010; Flagstaff, AZ. 5 p.

Related Links

• Coconino National Forest Schultz Fire BAER Iiformation

• Schultz Fire ALERT precipitation stations

• Coconino County Schultz flooding information

 

Go to the Southwest Watershed Science Team home page.