Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issues emergency declaration for Coconino County after floods

PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issued a declaration of emergency for Coconino National Forest on Wednesday after monsoon storms left flooding in parts of the region.

Through the declaration, more state resources were made available for response and recovery efforts, adding onto the deployment of the Arizona National Guard last Saturday.

About 60 service members have worked to fill sandbags to help with flooding mitigation measures, with at least 800 pallets filled since Saturday — or 56,000 sandbags, Ducey said in a press release.

“When Arizona communities are in need, we come together,” Ducey said in the release. “In the last week, we’ve seen just that. In a community already impacted by wildfires, the monsoon season presents dangerous challenges.”

The conditions in Coconino County were created by heavy rain that fell on several burn scars, which caused debris flow and damage to private property, roadways and drainage systems.

“This fire season has already been extremely active and it’s crucial that our local officials and leaders continue to have the resources they need to respond to the aftermath of heavy rains,” Ducey said.

The Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA) has been the coordination point for state resources requests from the counties.

DEMA has also worked with private sector partners to give water and food for sandbagging crews at various locations.

“When called upon, we volunteered beside our emergency responders and community members,” Maj. Gen. Kerry Muehlenback, DEMA director, said in the release. “I couldn’t be more proud of DEMA’s more than 8,300 citizen soldiers, airmen and civilian staff who are always ready and always there to support the communities we serve.”

Also assisting with flooding mitigation measures are inmates from the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry Wildland Fire and Arizona Healthy Forest Initiative Crews at ASPC-Winslow, with 93,660 sandbags filled as of Friday.

Other organizations like the United Way of Northern Arizona and the Red Cross will assist this weekend with flood cleanup kits and removal of debris.

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