Hazardous fuels reduction work continues on Payson Ranger District

PHOENIX, Aug.7, 2025 — The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management is overseeing contracted crews conducting mastication treatments on the Tonto National Forest to remove encroaching junipers and chaparral stands, restoring forest composition and reducing the risk of wildfires to the town of Payson.

The mastication project began Aug. 4 and is the first of five phases of the Greater Payson Restoration project, totaling 14,388 acres. Phase one of this project is expected to be completed by Summer 2026. The overall project’s completion is expected in the next 5-6 years around the communities of Payson, Oxbow Estates, Star Valley, and Round Valley.

This project supports Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI), a collaborative effort by Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Salt River Project, the town of Payson, and the U.S. Forest Service as a landscape-scale effort to restore fire-adapted ecosystems in Arizona.

Due to Stage 2 Emergency Fire Restrictions, mastication operations will take place at night to minimize fire risk. For more information about current fire restrictions on the Tonto National Forest, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/tonto/alerts/stage-2-fire-restrictions-and-emergency-recreational-shooting-order.

The public is urged to use caution when traveling on Forest Service roads around the active project area due to heavy machinery and risk of flying debris.

For additional information about the above project, contact the Payson Ranger Station located at 1009 E. Highway 260, Payson, Arizona. Or phone the station at (928) 474-7900 Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.

For the latest news and information about the Tonto National Forest, follow along on Facebook @TontoNationalForest or ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) @TontoForest.