Little America Hotel plans to close public access to its property in Flagstaff to protect against wildfire danger.
The 530-acre site is popular for recreation and is a common camping area for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Managers of the hotel chain say the risk of fire and damage to the local forest caused by visitors and those camping in the area prompted the closure.
Tony O’Brien is Little America’s vice president of operations.
"Just over the past month or so, there's been a couple of fires that have broken out just south of our property, which I think really caused us to say, 'Hey, maybe we need to move a little bit quicker on this timeline,'" O’Brien says.
Hotel management says those fires began when people experiencing homelessness lost control of their campfires.
O'Brien says they’ve put up fences and posted "private property" signs in an attempt to keep people out of the area.
Managers also plan to close several social trails next month.
Part of the Arizona National Scenic Trail passes through the property, but the hotel says it won’t be impacted by the closure.
