Fire managers plan to continue prescribed fire operations on the Lakeside Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests beginning January 15 through January 17, 2025, as weather and vegetation conditions allow for successful operations.

The Marsh Polishing Ponds 3 & 4 prescribed broadcast burn contains 9.31 acres, and is located directly north of Show Low, Arizona and southwest of Pintail Lake,  The project units are located west along State Route 77 and south of National Forest Road 9701M.  The project is a cooperative effort with the City of Show Low.

Highlights:

Firefighters are focusing on mop-up operations and suppression repair throughout the fire-affected area. Crews are closely monitoring interior pockets of heat to ensure the fire remains within its current footprint. Visible smoke from unburned pockets of fuel within the fire's interior is expected. Monitoring and containment efforts continue along the SR-260 corridor.

Highlights:

The management of the Horton Fire transitioned to a Type 3 team with the Tonto National Forest at 7 a.m. today. Yesterday, crews strengthened containment lines to a depth of nearly 200 feet along the powerline corridor. Mop-up operations and suppression repair continue throughout the affected area, and the forest closure order has been updated to reflect current conditions.

Suppression repair work continues, as personnel downsize in preparation of transferring management of the fire back to a Type 3 team from the Tonto National Forest at 0700 on January 13, 2025. As of last night, AZ Department of Transportation removed the lane restrictions on SR-260. The increase in fire acreage is due to more accurate mapping. Crews will continue to search for areas of hot spots to ensure nothing escapes the containment lines.

The Horton Fire is now 75% contained after diligent work from fire crews over the past several weeks. Fire crews continue to patrol and monitor the area and address interior hot-spots while enhancing containment along the SR-260 corridor. With the increase of containment, all communities in the area have been downgraded to READY status. The Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 1 will be handing management of this fire back too the Tonto National Forest on Monday, January 13.