Springerville, AZ, January 4th, 2022 — The Alpine Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is planning to begin the Pace Creek Pile Burning project on January 5^th through the end of February. Piles consist of leftover debris from recent timber sales, as well as slash deposited in the community burn pit. All ignitions are weather dependent.

Smoke will be visible from Alpine along portions of Hwy 180 and 191, from the New Mexico state line to the Alpine Divide Campground. Smoke may limit visibility on roads and may be present for up to one week after ignitions are complete. Members of the public who are smoke-sensitive or have health that could be affected issues are encouraged to take precautions.

All prescribed burns are approved through the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) before ignitions begin, and they monitor air quality. Please visit the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s webpage: https://azdeq.gov/ for additional information regarding air quality.

Stay up to date on news from the A bar S at our website https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf, on Twitter @A_SNFs and on facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs.

NCSO in cooperation with USFS, Heber-Overgaard FD and the Type 2 Incident Management Team have concluded that the GO! orders can be lifted at 6:00 am on Thursday 6/24/2021 due to current fire conditions. Residents in Heber-Overgaard, Antelope Valley, Chevelon Retreat, DeSpain Ranch, and Chevelon Ranches will remain on SET status until further notice. Please continue to monitor www.311info.net or vetted social media pages for updates.

The WEST CHEV fire, North of Heber/Overgaard, is moving slowly in a southerly direction. The WYRICK fire is moving slowly east. Same travel restriction apply, and more information will be given as it is received.