wildfire

Arizona fire officials on Monday briefed Gov. Katie Hobbs on what could shape up to be a very active wildfire season ahead throughout the state.

Legislation giving Arizona's electric utilities protections from lawsuits for wildfires sparked by their equipment has been pared down as lawmakers debate the measure.

The historically dry northern Arizona winter has made forest officials nervous for the fire season. Conditions improved after March storms brought significant snow and rain to the region.

Flagstaff City Council members debated a citizen petition Wednesday that requested the city add wildfire, flooding, and drought to the priorities in its Carbon Neutrality Plan.

2024 will be a milestone year for the U.S. Forest Service; it marks Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday. The agency is set to launch a year-long celebration in January celebrating the fire prevention icon with activities planned across the U.S.

Officials with the Coconino National Forest say a wildfire burning southeast of Flagstaff is now 100% contained. The human-caused Maid Fire was first reported Nov. 4 on Apache Maid Mountain.

A lightning-caused wildfire burning southwest of Flagstaff since last month is nearly 70% contained. Fire managers say crews have begun suppression repair work the Cecil Fire burning on the Coconino National Forest and Arizona State Trust lands.

Officials with the Kaibab National Forest say a wildfire burning near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is now 100% contained.

Residents of Flagstaff and other northern Arizona communities have no doubt noticed all the smoke in the air in recent weeks. It’s come from a combination of several prescribed burns and lightning-caused wildfires that forest officials have opted to manage for ecological benefit following a very snowy winter and amid an unusually wet spring.

Fire managers are set to begin a large prescribed burn about 10 miles southwest of Flagstaff Wednesday.