What are essential safety tips for wildfire season in Arizona? Everything to know

Kaely Monahan and Katrina Michalak, Arizona Republic
Updated ·2 min read

Wildfire season historically starts just before monsoon season. However, the period during which a wildfire can occur is now widening and bringing with it more severe blazes near the Valley.

In Arizona, wildfires were once expected from late April into the monsoon season. Now fires can start from late February or early March into September.

Climate changes have been linked to higher severity fires, according to Andrea "Andi" Thode, a fire science professor at Northern Arizona University and a certified fire ecologist. Preemptive measures can be a crucial way for Arizona residents to be prepared before a disaster strikes on both safety and monetary fronts.

Knowing where a gas valve shut-off is located in your home and limiting the vegetation surrounding a home are two cost-friendly ways to limit the impact of a wildfire.

Gernot Wagner, a climate economist at the Columbia Business School, says other measures can be taken to combat natural disasters and climate change at the same time, such as better insulation for homes.

"Try to prevent the car crash," Wagner said. "On a daily basis, how can one insulate, insure oneself against the daily trickle, the daily costs that cause lots and lots of economic harm and that when added up, may actually be even bigger than the big disasters."

In this week's episode of Valley 101, producers Kaely Monahan and Katrina Michalak dive into ways Arizonans can prepare for wildfires and help fight the bigger challenge of climate change — while debunking some misconceptions about wildfires.

Listen to the episode:

Listen to Valley 101 on your favorite podcast app or stream the full episode below.

Note: Valley 101 is intended to be heard, but we offer an AI transcript of the episode script. There may be slight deviations from the podcast audio.

Quick tips on how to protect your home from wildfires

  • Make a wildfire plan using a checklist like this

  • Know where your electrical, gas and water valves are

  • Clear vegetation away from your home

  • Use 1/8-inch metal mesh screening to prevent embers from entering through vents or landing in your attic

  • Learn more on the Firewise website

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Reach the reporters at kaely.monahan@arizonarepublic.com and katrina.michalak@gannett.com. Follow them on X, formerly Twitter: @KaelyMonahan  and @katrinamichalak.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona fires: What are the safety tips for wildfires?