Payson Ranger District

Prescribed fire operations planned for the Payson and Tonto Basin Ranger Districts on Dec. 6 have been cancelled due to rain. 

Fire specialists plan to reschedule these operations when weather conditions are more favorable. The prescribed fires cancelled include the debris pile burns near Christopher Creek Campground and Tonto Basin community pile burns near Punkin Center and the 83 pit south of the Tonto Monument. 

Fire officials on the Payson Ranger District are preparing for prescribed fire operations to burn debris piles near Christopher Creek Campground beginning Tuesday, Dec. 6-10, 2022. 

The purpose of this 107-acre prescribed fire is to reduce the risk of destructive wildfires to surrounding communities, ranches and critical infrastructure. Additionally, prescribed fires restore natural ecological systems and landscapes, and develop and foster sustainable forest conditions for wildlife habitat and watersheds.

Tonto National Forest fire officials are planning prescribed burns near State Route 260 on the Payson Ranger District beginning Tuesday, November 1-3, 2022.

Fire specialist plan to burn 17.5 acres of vegetation and grass resulting from mastication treatments as well as three acres of piled slash. Mastication uses mechanical equipment to grind up trees and vegetation into small pieces to reduce overcrowding and fuel loading on the forest.