A plan to allow motorists to resume using U.S. 60 between Show Low and Globe includes one-way traffic directed by a pilot car during restricted hours.

While fire crews continued to work the Flying V Fire along U.S. 60 north of Globe, the Arizona Department of Transportation reopened the highway Sunday [July 9] for restricted hours and at limited speeds with a pilot car as an escort.

The reopening plan was released by the Arizona Department of Transportation and the White Mountain Zone Type 3 Incident Team on Sunday. Traffic started flowing at 9 p.m. and continued until 6 a.m. Monday with reduced speeds.

On Monday, a pilot car escorted motorists along one lane of the highway between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., and the same plan was in place Tuesday. The incident management team said that the highway could be closed again if fire activity increases.

The incident management team met with ADOT Sunday morning to create a plan on how to reopen the highway while protecting the safety of the firefighters and the public, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Forestry & Wildland Fire Management — Fort Apache Agency.

The White Mountain Apache Tribe also issued an executive order Saturday closing a section of land in the southwestern section of the reservation near the fire to the public and banning the use of campfires in the area. Traffic is also restricted south of BIA Routes 12, G21 and O22.

The nation has also moved all tribal land to Stage 2 fire restrictions.

Stage 2 fire restrictions on tribal land and town limits prohibit the following:

• No campfires or charcoal burning devices, propane campfires or fire pits can be used. Propane grills are allowed. Fires related to religious ceremonies, events or wakes and residential cooking fires are allowed within community and in designated ceremonial areas only.

• No debris burning

• No discharging of firearms

• No smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building

• Fireworks are illegal on tribal lands.

• Motorized vehicles must stay on developed roads.

• Power saws cannot be used between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. This does not apply to residential or commercial properties.

• Operating an internal combustion engine, other than a motor vehicle, is  prohibited in forested or woodland areas.

• Welding or operating a torch with an open flame is prohibited, except in residential and commercial areas.

The fire has burned about 831 acres and was 5% contained Sunday morning, according to an update from the BIA. [On Wednesday morning, July 12 it was 73% contained, according to an update from InciWeb.] Most of the containment area is along the highway where the fire started. No structures have burned in the fire, however firefighters are working to protect cultural areas that are important to the tribe, the highway and communication towers near the fire.

Fire activity has decreased, however smoldering fuels are continuing to ignite spot fires in the area. Eight fire crews with 259 personnel are fighting the fire with five engines, one water tender, three helicopters and two dozers.

The human-caused fire started Wednesday afternoon [July 5] and the cause has not officially been determined, although there have been reports that it may have been caused by a motorist towing a broken trailer.