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Prescribed Burns Start Monday North Of Payson

Starting Monday, fire specialists will start five days of prescribed burns north of Payson.

Tonto National Forest spokesperson Carrie Templin says this is only possible because of recent monsoon storms bringing much-needed moisture to the area. She said that while forest officials were gearing up for a destructive wildfire season, fire activity has been below normal in the Tonto.

“Depending on what the weather does, we could have additional fires again,” she said, “but for the time being with the moisture and the humidity we have, the chances of a fire are significantly reduced.”

The Tonto was one of several national forests in the state that experienced closures this season. While restrictions are common, closures are fairly rare.

Stina Sieg was a senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2013 to 2018.