Tonto National Forest

The Tonto National Forest will rescind Stage 3 Fire Restrictions and implement Stage 1 Fire Restrictions at 8:00 am on July 31st  2020.  The onset of monsoon activity across the forest, and a decrease in fire danger have prompted fire officials to decrease fire restrictions. 

Apache Lake will reopen on July 31st 2020 at 8:00 am with Stage 1 Fire Restrictions in effect.

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are as follows:

Firefighters worked the northwest boundary of the Polles Fire through the night, using saws to cut a new line around the spot fire that developed yesterday afternoon.  Two thunderstorms yesterday produced gusty, erratic winds that rekindled an isolated heat source well within the perimeter.  The fire grew to the north and west with the first storm.  Then, winds from the second storm pushed flames back to the east.  The entire spot was approximately 75 acres.  Forward progress was halted, and the fire remains on top of the mesa. 
 

The Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team 2 will remain on the Polles Fire Saturday night after air patrols monitored new fire activity.
 
Due to the gusty winds produced from thunderstorms near the fire area, the fire rekindled and produced a spot fire outside of the existing fire perimeter. Firefighting efforts from both air tankers and helicopters were used to conduct water and retardant drops. Forward progress has been stopped. Hotshots were flown in this evening to reengage the fire and reinforce lines overnight.
 

Unless there is significant fire activity, this will be the final update on the Polles Fire. The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 2 will be transitioning the fire back to the Tonto National Forest tomorrow July 11, 2020 at 6:00 PM.

Yesterday ground resources continued to work the fire’s edge and completed contingency work around local communities. Due to the fire’s remote location in the wilderness and spotty vegetation in the area, crews haven’t been able to dig fireline and burn out from containment features like roads or trails.  Instead, they have been checking thousands of individual hotspots to ensure fuels along the fire’s perimeter are cold. “We are now reporting the fire as 61% contained, meaning we feel confident the fire will no longer grow in these areas.” said Incident Commander John Pierson.

Facing extreme conditions firefighters on the Polles Fire west of Payson continue to make marked progress toward containment. A total of 6 hotshot crews are directly engaged on the fire within the wilderness area, supported by airtankers and helicopters during the day, while other firefighters have been working adjacent to the communities and the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, scouting vegetation conditions and enhancing established fuel breaks and roads that could help protect homes and slow fire spread should there be a shift in fire behavior on the fire, to be used only if needed.

The area’s extremely dry conditions and the potential for extreme fire behavior have warranted the decision to bring in the support of a Type 1 Incident Management Team. Logistical support required to support the firefighters working in terrain only accessible by helicopter also increased the complexity of the incident. The Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team #2, lead by Incident Commander John Pierson, has taken command of the Polles Fire effective 6:00 a.m.

Firefighters are actively fighting a lightning caused wildfire burning within the remote Mazatzal Wilderness, approximately 11 miles west of Payson, Ariz. The fire started as the result of a passing isolated thunderstorms on Friday, July 3. The fire is in rough and rugged terrain that is only accessible by helicopter. Hotshot crews have been flown in by helicopter and suppression efforts have been supported by airtankers delivering fire retardant and helicopters dousing the flames.

The Bush Fire remains 98% contained. Interior burning activity and smoke may be present until the fire area receives widespread moisture from monsoons. The Arizona Central West Zone Type 3 Incident Management Team is working with the Tonto National Forest to transition management to the forest on July 2, 2020.

Wildfires have burned more than 224,500 acres this year on the Tonto National Forest.  Ongoing extreme fire danger due to dry conditions and hot temperatures following a wet winter that produced an abundance of dry brush and grass, have led Tonto officials to close the state’s largest national forest beginning at 6 a.m. on July 2.