There will be a 30 acre prescribed burn 5 miles SE of Vernon today. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas.

With the possibility of increased moisture in the coming weeks, including snow at the higher elevations, fire managers on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests plan to conduct pile burns in several locations across the forests.

The piles to be burned are the result of prior efforts to gather and stack slash (excess woody debris) from thinning projects and roadside hazard trees in the Wallow Fire burned area. Wetter ground conditions are conducive to carrying out this type of prescribed fire because the additional moisture helps prevent the piles from burning outside of the intended areas.

A slash pile is made up of vegetative material that has been concentrated into a pile measuring no more than 6′ wide by 6′ tall.

Locations of burns are:

Greer near the burn pit

Water Canyon, Forest Road 74

Southeast of Vernon, Forest Road 64

Please be advised that smoke will be visible in the surrounding communities.

State Route 473 to Hawley Lake is the first of three highways in the White Mountains that will shut down this winter, beginning on Thursday, November 15th.

State Route 261 between Big Lake and the State Route 260 junction is scheduled to close on December 17th.

State Route 273 between Sunrise Park and Big Lake will close December 17th.  The four mile long portion of SR 273 between SR 260 and Sunrise Park will remain open to provide access to the ski area.

Heavy Snowfall could force earlier closures.