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The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management announces a multi-million-dollar investment into the state of Arizona provided through the USDA Forest Service as part of their Community Wildfire Defense Grants (CWDG). The grants provide financial assistance to at-risk communities to protect their residents from catastrophic wildfire through the development and implementation of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP). These master plans must be designed to provide for wildfire risk reduction, build fire adapted communities, prioritize hazardous fuels reduction work, and promote fire training to ensure a collaborative, unified response between local fire departments, the state, and federal land management agencies.
A recent spike in wildfire activity in some parts of Pinal County is causing concern for state fire management officers. Since April 1 to May 9, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) responded to 25 wildfires, mostly concentrated in the western portion of the county, south and southwest of Maricopa within the Thunderbird Farms and Hidden Valley areas. DFFM overhead assigned to those incidents report all 25 were found to be human-caused, many of which were due to equipment usage, such as welding and grinding. However, with some of those fire starts, no ignition source could be determined. Data acquired from DFFM’s Arizona Dispatch Center (ADC) showed those fires burned more than 2,600 acres.
Next week, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) plans to implement two prescribed fire projects located east and northeast of Flagstaff. On Monday, April 22, DFFM begins the Walnut RX Fire then on Tuesday, April 23, the agency begins the Turkey Hills RX Fire. Project managers expect both broadcast burns to take one day to complete, dependent on favorable and safe weather conditions.
This year and to continue with tradition, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) celebrates Arbor Day at the State Capitol with a tree planting ceremony and community recognition event. For nearly two decades, DFFM has been planting trees on the Capitol grounds to improve the urban canopy and its overall beautification. This year, DFFM with the help of Smokey Bear plan to plant a 24-inch box Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) tree donated by a grower with the Arizona Nursery Association. This fast-growing, low water use tree grows up to 30 feet tall and blooms between May and September. The Desert Willow is native to Arizona, exceptional for pollinators, and an attractive choice for desert landscapes.
Starting Tuesday, April 16, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management in conjunction with Arizona State Parks and Trails and Superstition Fire and Medical District conduct a one-day pile burn project at Lost Dutchman State Park, northeast of Apache Junction in Pinal County.
