Arizona wildfire activity trending higher than last year
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — New numbers from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (AZSF) show wildfire activity is trending higher this year when compared to 2023.
According to the department, there have been:
- 1,515 wildfires since Jan. 1
- 246,966 acres burned
For comparison, there were 1,389 wildfires and 134,263 acres burned across Arizona in 2023.
AZSF Public Affairs Officer Tiffany Davila says human-caused wildfires account for 67% of this year’s activity and that weather has also played a huge role in this year’s jump.
On top of more vegetation thanks to spring showers and dry conditions in the summer, Davila said a lot of it also has to do with monsoon activity.
“Over the past month or so, we’ve had a lot of lightning strikes that have started fires in the state and that’s due to the monsoonal activity,” Davila explained. “We’re seeing a lot of dry lightning storms, meaning there’s no precipitation following the storms.”
After the most recent monsoon and microburst storms, Davila is reminding Arizonans to remain vigilant and mindful during this time. She says the current conditions are impacting the department’s wildfire outlook for this year.
”We do have the outlook for this year pushing us into October for fire, so it’s just another reminder for residents to stay vigilant,” she said. “Some areas have experienced a lot of precipitation, but there are a lot of areas who have not. So even though we’re seeing monsoon storms rolling in, it’s not widespread.”
To help prevent wildfires and protect your own home, remember to get rid of any dry or dead vegetation in your yards. Davila also emphasized to make sure you don’t have any flammables, like propane tanks or bags of mulch, leaning against your home.
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