With a heavy sigh of relief from everyone from firefighters to residents, the 2018 fire season passed us by with barely a whimper despite some of the worst fire conditions in decades and one of the longest fire seasons in recent memory. The fire restrictions were lifted earlier this week, putting an official end to the season. The statewide drought is still in place, but with the heavy rains so far this monsoon season and more coming, the White Mountains appears to be getting a reprieve — for now. The White Mountains Fire Restriction Coordinating Group (WMFRC) met Monday afternoon, July 16, and issued the following orders lifting restrictions for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Apache and Navajo counties, Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside, Bureau of Land Management areas, and State Lands, ended all restrictions as of 3 pm that day.