Newsroom
Breaking News
A recent spike in wildfire activity in some parts of Pinal County is causing concern for state fire management officers. Since April 1 to May 9, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) responded to 25 wildfires, mostly concentrated in the western portion of the county, south and southwest of Maricopa within the Thunderbird Farms and Hidden Valley areas. DFFM overhead assigned to those incidents report all 25 were found to be human-caused, many of which were due to equipment usage, such as welding and grinding. However, with some of those fire starts, no ignition source could be determined. Data acquired from DFFM’s Arizona Dispatch Center (ADC) showed those fires burned more than 2,600 acres.
Next week, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) plans to implement two prescribed fire projects located east and northeast of Flagstaff. On Monday, April 22, DFFM begins the Walnut RX Fire then on Tuesday, April 23, the agency begins the Turkey Hills RX Fire. Project managers expect both broadcast burns to take one day to complete, dependent on favorable and safe weather conditions.
This year and to continue with tradition, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) celebrates Arbor Day at the State Capitol with a tree planting ceremony and community recognition event. For nearly two decades, DFFM has been planting trees on the Capitol grounds to improve the urban canopy and its overall beautification. This year, DFFM with the help of Smokey Bear plan to plant a 24-inch box Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) tree donated by a grower with the Arizona Nursery Association. This fast-growing, low water use tree grows up to 30 feet tall and blooms between May and September. The Desert Willow is native to Arizona, exceptional for pollinators, and an attractive choice for desert landscapes.
Starting Tuesday, April 16, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management in conjunction with Arizona State Parks and Trails and Superstition Fire and Medical District conduct a one-day pile burn project at Lost Dutchman State Park, northeast of Apache Junction in Pinal County.
With summer just around the corner, many Arizonans are gearing up to hit the open road to get out of the heat. As the conditions across the state get warmer and drier the chances for roadside fires igniting along Arizona’s highways increases. Every year, wildland firefighters respond to hundreds of fires throughout the state due to tire blowouts, dragging trailer chains, and overheating vehicles. Roadside fires are notorious for shutting down major highways, like Interstate 17, and more often than not, causing severe traffic backups.