Wildfire on the North Kaibab causing smokey conditions in Washington County

The Kaibab National Forest plans to allow the lightning-caused Castle Fire to continue growing within a defined area in order to fulfill its natural role of reducing dense forest fuels and improving overall ecosystem health.

The wildfire, which was discovered July 12, is located about 11 miles south of Jacob Lake, 3 miles west of Highway 67, and just east of Forest Road 761 near Oquer Canyon on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

The Castle Fire is burning in an area with dense mixed conifer, heavy fuel loading, and a significant amount of dead and down trees.

Allowing the fire to act as a natural disturbance process in the ecosystem will help meet a variety of resource objectives including restoring the forest structure to more historic conditions, reducing spruce and fir encroachment of area meadows, removing fuels that could feed future severe wildfires, and promoting aspen regeneration.

The wildfire is currently 6,706 acres.