Traffic restricted on State Route 260 east of Payson for Fulton Fire

Drivers heading east on State Route 260 over the next several days will be forced to drive single-file for five miles because of efforts to manage a fire the size of a football field, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

SR 260 will be reduced to one lane approximately 25 miles east of Payson, between Christopher Creek and Forest Lakes, ADOT said. The stretch is between mileposts 277 and 282.

The lane restriction will continue around the clock through Sept. 25 in an effort to protect firefighters and emergency responders at the Fulton Fire.

Travelers also may encounter medium- to heavy smoke and reduced visibility on the road, authorities said.

The Fulton Fire began Monday in the Tonto National Forest, sparked by lightning on the Mogollon Rim.

Access to an area around the fire has been closed and will remain in effect until Halloween or “when fire suppression operations have ceased,” according to forest officials.