Wildfires

PHOENIX – Repairs to guardrail damaged by the Sawmill Fire on State Route 83 are complete and all restrictions on the roadway between Interstate 10 and Sonoita have been lifted, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

ADOT crews repaired about two miles of guardrail and supporting posts that were damaged in the fire. Several damaged road signs also were replaced.

PHOENIX —State Route 83 has reopened this afternoon south of Interstate 10 after being closed for nearly three days because of the Sawmill Fire, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers can expect local delays as ADOT crews repair guardrails damaged by the fire. Lane restrictions and reduced speed limits are expected in the area where crews are working.

The road had been closed since the fire approached SR 83 on Monday afternoon.

PHOENIX – Like a lot of Arizona these days, the hillsides along State Route 87 south of Payson look mighty green after a wet winter. But that didn’t stop a brush fire from breaking out last week after a vehicle dragging chains threw sparks off the roadway, backing up traffic as first responders addressed the blaze.

When warmer temperatures turn all that ground cover brown, there will be even more reason for precautions to prevent brush fires along highways.

ADOT is joining with federal, state and local agencies at Sunset Point Rest Area at milepost 252 on Interstate 17 to promote the “One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire” fire prevention and awareness campaign.

ADOT is participating in the "One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire" campaign to show how drivers can prevent wildfires.

A three-day weekend is coming up and that means a lot of people will be hitting the road… It’s the perfect time to take a road trip, but it’s also wildfire season and we’ve all got to be a bit more careful in this dry, desert climate we live.

Last week when we told you about National Preparedness Month, we briefly detailed the role ADOT plays when it comes to public safety. But, there’s a whole lot more to say on the subject, and who better to write about it than ADOT’s very own Emergency Manager…

It’s not often that a tree gets wrapped up in a mystery, but a lot of unanswered questions surround one Juniper growing next to I-17. Some Arizonans might already know about the tree – it’s actually sort of famous around the state and even has its own Wikipedia page.

The wildfires burning through portions of the state are destroying so much … from the scenic acreage that will be changed forever to the property loss and the lives so terribly affected.