Tonto National Forest, State Trust Land implements Stage 1 restrictions

Stage 1 fire restrictions took effect Friday morning on State Trust Land in Gila, Maricopa and Pinal counties, as well as in the Tonto National Forest.

The restrictions still allow campfires, but only in certain places, according to Tiffany Davila, spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.

“Stage 1 is the least restrictive,” Davila told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Thursday. “You can still have a campfire. It just has to be in a developed campsite or a developed campground. So, there has to be that pre-existing fire ring to build your campfire.”

The Stage 1 fire restrictions for State Trust Lands will expand to Apache and Navajo counties on May 19 and Coconino County on May 21.

What are you forbidden to do under Stage 1 fire restrictions?

Smoking is also restricted. Davila said it is only allowed inside an enclosed vehicle, a building or a developed recreation site.

Fireworks, other incendiary devices, and welding or torch work with an open flame are all prohibited.

She also reminded visitors that some activities are never allowed on State Trust Land.

“For State Trust Land, there’s no target shooting and no fireworks at any time of the year, regardless of restrictions, so that’s something people need to be mindful of,” she added.

Davila urged the public to check wildlandfire.az.gov before heading outdoors.

“It has all of the fire restrictions on there for us, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, our tribal partners,” Davila explained. “So, as we enter restrictions, we will all enter our information into that site and it’s basically a one-stop shop for fire restrictions for the public.”

What about the Tonto National Forest?

Tonto National Forest also shared a map showing which areas are under the restrictions.

These emergency Stage 1 fire restrictions also limit recreational shooting because fire danger is very high across the forest. Officials say the goal is to protect the public, firefighters and natural resources from fires sparked by shooting.

Meanwhile, Coconino National Forest announced it will enter Stage 1 on May 21.

The decision to impose fire and shooting restrictions is based on several factors, including fire danger, how dry vegetation is, recent fire behavior, how hard fires are to control, available firefighting resources, weather forecasts and the risk of new ignitions.

Davila said agencies try to align restrictions with federal, county and local partners whenever possible so the rules are easier for the public to follow. Still, restrictions can vary depending on who manages the land, so people should make sure they know which jurisdiction they are visiting before they head out.

Arizona land is managed by a mix of state, federal and tribal agencies, including the State Land Department, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Those who violate these fire restrictions could face a fine of up to $5,000 and imprisonment for up to six months.

Why did Arizona authorities put the Stage 1 fire restrictions into place?

The restrictions went into place due to an uptick in fire activity and hot, dry conditions, Davila explained.

“Closures are typically implemented when there’s way too much fire activity in Arizona,” she said. “Our resources are slim pickings. Our resources are scattered across the state. We’re going to have extreme hot and dry conditions.”

Firefighters are still battling the Jones Fire, which broke out in Wickenburg on Monday and destroyed eight to 10 RVs. Although the exact cause remains under investigation, DFFM said the blaze was human-caused.

“There’s just too many human-caused starts, and not every year do we go in full closures. We have in the past, but usually we can manage between Stage 1 and Stage 2,” Davila said.

This is typically the time of year DFFM implements fire restrictions, though the timing varies year to year depending on weather, fuel loading and fuel moisture.

“There (are) ongoing talks about fire restrictions across other parts of the state, as well,” Davila said.

Those craving the great outdoors should also be aware that the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department and the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department started their annual fire ban for parks and mountain preserves on May 1. This bans campfires, fire pits and charcoal grills due to wildfire risks.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Martha Maurer contributed to this report.

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