SMOKE REPORT 6/18/20: Smoke this morning is heavy in the Tonto Basin area, as well as moving northeast through Heber-Overgaard and Saint Johns. Later this morning as smoke lifts out of the Tonto Basin, expect it to move into Payson and the Rim Country, resulting in moderate smoke impacts, before clearing later this afternoon. https://www.azdeq.gov/node/7077?fire=bushfire#BushFireTontoNF#BushFire#WildfireSmoke#AZSmokeReport

The best place for up-to-date road information is www.az511.com
Road closures remain in place due to the #BushFireTontoNF

*SR 87 is closed from Payson to Bush Highway. SR 188 is closed between SR 87 and Roosevelt Lake

* SR 88 is closed between Apache Lake (milepost 229) and SR 188 (milepost 242).

*The long-term SR 88 closure from east of Tortilla Flat to Apache Lake also remains in effect. This means drivers may not travel east of Tortilla Flat right now on SR 88.#BushFire

ADEQ Air Quality Meteorologists Launch
First State Wildfire Smoke Forecast in the Nation
(PHOENIX) — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today a new wildfire smoke forecast — the first state wildfire smoke forecast of its kind in the country — to provide Arizona communities with early and ongoing information about potential air quality impacts so they can make informed decisions for their health. Designed to support, and in cooperation with U.S. Forest Service (USFS) wildfire air resource advisors and Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (AZDFFM) staff, ADEQ’s air quality meteorologists will provide a wildfire smoke forecast when Arizona wildfires have the potential for extended air quality impacts to communities as determined in coordination with federal and state land managers.
“With our new wildfire smoke forecast, we are serving our communities by providing both early and ongoing information about potential air quality impacts from wildfires,” said ADEQ Director Misael Cabrera.
“We expect this wildfire smoke forecast, the first of its kind in the nation, to serve as a model for how state and federal air quality experts can work together to leverage local knowledge and best serve their communities,” said AZDFFM Director David Tenney.
To inform health and safety considerations and support decision-making, ADEQ’s wildfire smoke forecasts provide both community members and wildfire managers with information about:
• Who is managing the wildfire and how to get in touch,
• Which communities may be affected by smoke,
• Where smoke is coming from and how long it is expected to last,
• Recommendations about when to limit outdoor activity, and
• Helpful resources including fact sheets, frequently asked questions and other resources related to land managers and other agencies.
When activated, online wildfire smoke forecasts will be available 24/7 and updated daily each morning to provide information about expected smoke impacts for the next 48-hours. ADEQ will continue to update activated wildfire smoke forecasts until data show significantly reduced risk of health impacts.
ADEQ’s wildfire smoke forecasts typically are not provided for wildfires that are short in duration or which occur in remote locations, away from populated areas.
Click to learn more about the Wildfire Smoke Forecast >