'Overwhelmed': Arizona officials urge wildfire precautions as state sees uptick in blazes

State officials are asking Arizonans to take precautions and avoid setting rural areas ablaze amid an uptick in desert wildfires.

About 14,000 acres of land have burned so far this year statewide, according to numbers from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. That's double the amount of burned acreage the state saw this time last year.

Officials say the uptick has been fueled largely by unusually intense wildfire activity in Pinal County, which is sandwiched between Phoenix and Tucson. The county saw 25 fires spark between April 1 and May 9, ranging from small blazes to the 2,000-acre Range Fire still burning near Florence.

It's more fires than the county reported during similar time periods in previous years and raises red flags for officials, who say all of the infernos were caused by humans.

"Firefighters have responded to almost as many human-caused fires in about a one-month period this year in the Maricopa and Florence areas than all of 2023," said Pedro Mungarro, deputy fire prevention officer with the state's forestry office. "The unusual amount of activity is definitely raising eyebrows and causing concerns."

The near-daily blazes are also exhausting fire resources. State officials said they have begun stationing firefighters near Stanfield and Maricopa. That provides extra support for local fire departments and ensures quick response times but takes away crews from other areas.

State fire prevention crews will also be dispatched this week to patrol Pinal County areas at the highest risk of burning.

"Our engines are getting overwhelmed," said Tiffany Davilla, spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. "They're tired. They're jumping from one fire to the next, to the next, to the next."

Davila said the state has "plenty of resources" to fight fires, but crews aren't "catching a break."

"These resources could be utilized somewhere else, but they're having to sit on these fires and make sure they're completely out when the winds are picking up in the afternoon," she said. "They're just working, and working, and working."

Meanwhile, a long fire season awaits. In Arizona, wildfires historically have been most prevalent between late April and July, when monsoon rains typically begin.

But fire experts have long warned that blazes can spark year-round. They are becoming increasingly prevalent in late February and early March as temperatures rise, and can last into September.

"Conditions are dry and only are going to get hotter and drier," Mungarro said.

What's causing the fires in Pinal County?

Wildfire experts forecast Arizona might see increased fire activity this year.

State officials said heavier winter rains and snow in recent years have doubled the amount of fuel for wildfires in regions of higher risk.

That includes areas near Florence and Maricopa in Pinal County.

"Fires are starting faster and spreading even quicker due to the abundance of fuel along with hot, dry and windy conditions," said Byron Kimball, a fire behavior analyst for the state's Forestry Department.

Fires statewide are largely caused by humans. Several recent Pinal County fires were started by residents using welding and grinding equipment, state officials said.

Lauren Reimer, a spokesperson for the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, said deputies have issued eight citations and made one arrest for unlawful or reckless burning so far this year.

A burn ban is currently in effect in the county, according to local officials.

How to stay safe

State officials urged residents to be careful while working outdoors, monitor weather conditions and never leave fires unattended.

"If it’s windy outside, it’s unsafe to burn or conduct work that involves fire," Mungarro said.

Residents should also exercise caution while using any equipment that might emit sparks, officials said. That includes lawn mowers, chain saws and welding torches.

Vehicles also may ignite fires, and residents should avoid pausing or parking cars in tall grass or over shrubs.

Officials said dragging metal or trailer chains can cause roadside fires, which made up more than one-quarter of the wildfires sparked statewide last year.

Cigarettes should be safely disposed of, not thrown out of car windows.

Officials also are asking residents to create defensible space around their homes as summer heats up.

"You'll notice that it stopped raining, and it may not rain again for a long, long time," said Pinal County Supervisor Jeff Serdy during a May 1 public meeting. "So, we all need to be conscious of fire danger and keeping the weeds down and the brush down around your house."

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Sasha Hupka covers county government and regional issues for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Officials urge wildfire precautions as Arizona sees uptick in blazes