Arizona officials concerned about spike in preventable wildfires

PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management officials said they are concerned about the spike in wildfires this year, almost all of which have been caused by humans.

As of Wednesday, the area burned had surpassed 200,000 acres of private, federal and tribal land in 941 wildfires.

During the same time period last year, 689 fires burned close to 47,000 acres of land.

“There are way too many fires right now burning across the state,” Arizona Forestry and Fire Management spokeswoman Tiffany Davila said Wednesday.

“We’re in the heart of our fire season, and we aren’t going to see a decrease in fire activity until we get into our monsoon season until we see that increased moisture and high relative humidity.”

As of Wednesday morning, four active Arizona wildfires had consumed more than 169,000 acres. That’s led by the Bush Fire northeast of the Phoenix area, which had grown to 89,059 acres.

DFFM said 95% of this year’s fires have been human-caused, and while the majority were not intentional, they were preventable.

“All of these fires could have easily been prevented by paying attention to your surroundings, the weather, and fire restrictions,” DFFM Fire Management Officer John Truett said in a press release Wednesday.

“Fire crews are overextended and fire managers are competing for ground and air resources. We are throwing every available resource at these fires, yet upon ignition, fires are showing signs of extreme behavior.”

Officials say some fires that started on private and state lands were started by a variety of factors, including:

• Target shooting
• Escaped burn barrels
• Abandoned campfires
• Grinding metal
• Welding
• Using a weed eater to clear vegetation in a yard
• Barbecue grill that blew over in the wind

Arizona is currently under Stage II fire restrictions, which means campfires are prohibited.

DFFM is asking residents to do their part by:

• Never burning on windy days.
• Don’t use equipment that could throw sparks.
• If you have to do work outdoors, do it early in the morning or evening hours when the temperatures are cooler.
• Before getting on the road, check that tow chains are secure.
• Check that your car is working properly. Fires can start from overheating vehicles, blown tires or drivers pulling off into tall grass.
• Create a defensible space around property as a buffer zone between home and potential wildfire.

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