Apparatus and method for controlling pressure roll flare in a print apparatus

An apparatus and method that control pressure roll flare in a print apparatus. The apparatus can include a fuser having a fuser surface. The apparatus can include at least one heat source configured to heat the fuser surface. The apparatus can include a pressure roll having a pressure roll surface, the pressure roll having a rotational axis, the pressure roll having an inside paper path portion towards the middle of the pressure roll along the rotational axis and having an outside paper path portion near at least one end of the pressure roll along the rotational axis, the pressure roll coupled to the fuser at a fuser nip, where the fuser nip is configured to fuse marking material on a media sheet. The apparatus can include a pressure roll cooling device configured to cool at least one of the inside paper path portion and the outside paper path portion of the pressure roll to maintain substantially consistent pressure roll flare prior to media sheets entering the fuser nip and while media sheets pass through the fuser nip to provide wrinkle control of media sheets while limiting image smear of the marking material on the media sheets.