Single Publication

UPDATE: West Fire, Payson Ranger District 
September 27, 2024

Size: 15,070 acres                              Start Date: August 28, 2024
Cause: Lightning                               Location: Payson Ranger District, Arizona
Containment: 65%                         Fuels: Ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, chaparral
Total personnel: 158

Operations: The Gila County Sheriff’s Office and fire management team members assessed evacuation levels for Pine and Geronimo Estates and have downgraded them to READY as of today, September 27.  Fire personnel will continue to monitor the fire and ignitions have ceased. Expect interior burning and smoke as fuels dry during the weekend. Fireline repair continues in order to prevent user-created trails where hand crews and equipment have disturbed soils.  Crews will remove hazard trees today along FSR 64 to enhance firefighter and public safety when the road reopens. Yesterday, the team also assisted the Tonto National Forest with initial attack on a fire by providing a hotshot crew, a Type 1 helicopter and a Type 6 engine. 

Weather: Today, sunny warm and dry conditions continue with a high temper of 89 degrees. Winds light and variable, easterly, 0% chance of precipitation, with humidity in the 15% range.  Tonight, clear with a low around 57, winds NE 3-5 mph

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always a priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area and use caution around fire equipment on the roads.   

Smoke: Smoke from the West fire may be visible as interior fuel continues to dry and burn, decreasing as the week wears on. Expect concentrations in low lying areas near the fire perimeter in the mornings, which will clear out as air warms during the day.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Learn more about smoke impacts on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality website.

Closures: The Tonto National Forest has issued a closure for land surrounding the West fire.  This includes the Pine Trailhead.  https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/aztnf-2024-west-fire-tnf/us-forest-service-closure-order-for-west-fire-09-04-2024

Evacuations:  Pine residents on the east side of SR 87 and east of North Pine Creek Canyon Road are in READY status. Geronimo Estates residents near the West Fire are in READY status.  For information on evacuation status, visit https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/sidebar/index.html?appid=9bf2ca222ee74f8697bc670ae9c2531a  To receive emergency notifications from Gila County, visit https://gilacountyaz.genasys.com/portal/en

For the latest news and information about the Tonto National Forest, follow along on Facebook @TontoNationalForest, ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) @TontoForest or Instagram @tontonationalforest and on the Tonto National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/tonto