Drivers hitting the southern reaches of Lake Mary Road better ease off the gas, The Coconino County Public Works Department just slapped a new speed limit on the stretch — a cool 35 mph — in a move to keep firefighters and the public safe as the Wolf Fire nips at the edge of the roadway. This 10-mile expanse, running between Milepost 300.5 near Happy Jack, down to the junction with State Route 87, is now a slow zone.

This isn't some arbitrary crackdown. As reported by Coconino County's official announcement, thick smoke is rolling in from the USFS's backburning ops, obscuring vision and cooking up a hazardous stew for any motorist barreling through the area. And yes, there are electronic heralds posted to give you a heads up on the reduced speed, so don't say you weren't warned.

What's got the authorities on edge, is the potential for visibility to drop to zilch if the backburning smoke decides to throw a heavier blanket over Lake Mary Road. USFS fire managers and the county aren't taking any chances, promising to put the brakes on the speed limit even more if the smoke gets thicker. Seems like safety trumps speed this round.

For those out of the loop, the lightning-sparked Wolf Fire caught its first flame on April 29, according to the same source. It's sitting about three miles off the northwest side of Clints Well, and the USFS is playing with fire — literally — turning the wild blaze into a controlled burn to snuff out the fuel that could lead to an even bigger blow-up. We're talking pine needle piles, dead trees, and all that dry fodder that Mother Nature left behind.

The slowdown will stick until the smoky curtain lifts and the folks in charge give the all-clear to press those pedals down a bit harder. Until then, take it nice and easy, or risk a run-in with the county's finest and a firsthand lesson in combustion.