With warming spring temperatures and dry conditions, wildfire danger in northern Arizona is increasing. As Arizona Public Radio’s Ryan Heinsius reports, forest managers are gearing up for what could be an active year for firefighters.
This winter, northern Arizona snowfall was about 60 percent of the average, and dryness levels in area forests are about a month ahead of schedule. That, combined with increased visitation to local forests as seasonal roads open, is causing officials to prepare for a possible April onset of fire season.
Don Muise is the fire staff officer for the Coconino National Forest. He says conditions have only worsened since the region’s last major precipitation in early March.
“We dried up pretty quick is the bottom line and so we’re starting looking at some issues we may have down the road. Right now, looking at our indices and stuff, we’re pretty much matched up to where we were last year,” Muise says.
Since the beginning of March, crews on the Coconino have responded to six human-caused wildfires, totaling about 40 acres. Muise says seasonal fire staff will begin work next week.
“This is a tough game to play because you’re trying to prepare for the worst, and we’re well in the stages of preparing for that, but hope that we’d get some relief down the road,” Muise says.
With no precipitation in the forecast for the region, Muise says forest managers could implement campfire restrictions in the coming weeks.
