ADEQ Monitoring February Fire Smoke

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Director Steve Owens announced that air quality monitoring equipment is being deployed near Payson, Pine and Strawberry in Gila County to monitor ambient air quality around the February Fire. The fire has now consumed more than 1,000 acres in northern Gila County and has impacted visibility in portions of the county. "We are monitoring air quality to keep track of any significant impact from the smoke and notify the public immediately if it poses a risk to area residents," Owens said. "We want to make sure that we take every precaution to protect area residents from any potential health effects from the smoke."