PHOENIX – Anticipating smoky conditions from a prescribed fire, officials plan to close a section of State Route 87 in northern Arizona on Friday.
The closure will cover both directions of SR 87 between State Route 260 and Lake Mary Road, a 12-mile stretch north of Payson, starting at 6 a.m.
Detour options include SR 260 and Interstate 17, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
The closure will be lifted after conditions improve later in the day, ADOT said, but fire managers might close the roadway again for short periods if visibility decreases.
Why are prescribed fires conducted?
Fire managers regularly conduct prescribed fires to thin out overcrowded forests, mitigating the threat of wildfires.
Officials are concerned about the combined impact of Friday’s prescribed fire on the west side of SR 87 along with smoke from the nearby Wolf Fire, a lightning-caused wildfire that started April 29 and is still smoldering.
Get the latest KTAR News 92.3 FM traffic alerts sent straight to your phone by texting “TRAFFIC” to 411923.
Follow @KTAR923
We want to hear from you.
Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.
[wpts_spin]{Read|See} the {entire|full} article {on|about} infrastructure development in Arizona, or, read more news about {Arizona real estate investing|real estate investing in Arizona|real estate investing in Arizona}. We {warmly |}{welcome and |}encourage you to {mention|recommend} our site to your{ circle of|} fellow investors, {letting them |allowing them to }benefit from the valuable{ resources and|} insights we provide. {Thanks!|Thank you!}[/wpts_spin]
