More State Land Entering Stage I Fire Restrictions

Phoenix, AZ (5/13/21) – The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management plans to implement additional Stage I Fire Restrictions across the central and northern portions of the state starting Friday. 

As warmer temperatures settle in and dry conditions persist, Arizona’s fire activity and amount of human-caused starts continues to increase daily. Therefore, starting Friday, May 14, at 8am, Stage I Fire Restrictions go into effect on state-owned and managed lands within: Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Pinal, Yavapai, and Yuma Counties, along with Coconino County, south of the Colorado River.

“Our number one goal is to provide for the safety of the public and our firefighters. We ask that residents and visitors please abide by these restrictions as we enter into our most active period for wildfires. The state has already experienced two Type 1 incidents in Arizona, the Flag and Tussock Fires, and it’s barely the middle of May,’ said DFFM Fire Management Officer John Truett.

The White Mountains-region went into Stage I Fire Restrictions last week including, state land within Apache and Navajo Counties.

Restrictions apply to the following state-owned and state-managed lands within the above-mentioned counties including:

• All State Trust lands outside incorporated municipalities.
• All Game and Fish Commission Wildlife areas and department properties outside incorporated municipalities.
• All State Parks outside incorporated municipalities – State Parks will remain open with fire restrictions in place. Please refer to https://azstateparks.com/fire-safety/ – for park-specific fire restriction information.
• All Department of Transportation highway, right-of-way property outside incorporated municipalities, not owned by federal land management agencies.

Restrictions include:

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal, or wood stove, other than in a developed campsite or picnic area is prohibited. Exemptions include, a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the device.
• Smoking is prohibited unless it is within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site/improved site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barred or cleared of all flammable materials.
• Fireworks or another incendiary device are prohibited.
• Welding or operating acetylene or other torch devices with an open flame is prohibited.

Exemptions include:

• Any federal, state or local law enforcement officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting organization in the performance of an official duty.
• All land within a city boundary is exempted unless otherwise stated in a city ordinance.

All exemptions to these restrictions must be approved by the State Forester.

If local authorities have imposed stronger restrictions then those listed above, than the local restrictions shall apply.

These restrictions apply to all permit and lease holders and other authorized users of state-managed lands. These restrictions do not apply to private lands under ARS § 37-1303.

Restrictions are effective at 8am on Friday, May 14, 2021, and will continue until rescinded.

For all statewide fire restriction information:  https://wildlandfire.az.gov/

For more information, contact Tiffany Davila at 602-540-1036 or by email at [email protected]