Tonto National Forest is reporting a lightning caused fire burning in the Mazatzal foothills east of Rio Verde.

The Verde Fire was reported on Saturday night, after thunderstorms passed through the area.

The fire is burning on the east side of the Verde River, near Black Mesa, approximately two miles northeast of Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation lands and four miles east of the community of Rio Verde.

The 700-acre fire is burning in grass and brush in a remote area with limited road access for fire crews. There is no containment.

Planning efforts are underway to determine where and how to safely engage this fire, because of limited road access, combined with excessive heat warnings. A helicopter is being used to douse flames where possible, and air tankers have been ordered to keep the fire from moving any closer to communities.

As a precaution, forest visitors in the Lower Sycamore, Sugarloaf and along Forest Road 160, north of the Sugarloaf road, are being asked to relocate to other areas of the Forest. Smoke from the Verde Fire is visible Rio Verde, Fort McDowell, the Beeline (State Highway 87) corridor and the East Valley.

Visibility may be reduced on portions of State Highway 87 overnight and into the early morning hours, and Rio Verde residents may see a glow in the distance and smell smoke overnight.