Prescribed Burn To Take Place Near Payson

Depending on the weather, the Tonto National Forest will be conducting prescribed burns in the Whispering Pines area near Payson this week. Spokeswoman Carrie Templin said the goal is to remove needles, grasses and other low-lying vegetation with the slow-burning fires.

“If we can do a low-intensity burn, you know, and we’ve just got ground fire, it will clean up any kind of needles or leaves or those kinds of things that are on the ground,” Templin said.

The burn, according to Templin, will release nutrients into the soil and also keeps those fuels from being there, should a wildfire get started in the area during the dry months later in the year.