PHOENIX – Arizona is currently facing a surge in human-caused fires; to date there has been 473 wildland fires in the state, with 332 determined to be human-caused contributing resulting in 28,772 acres burned. Through an established collaborative effort to address these preventable unplanned ignitions, area fire managers have enlisted the support of a National Fire Prevention and Education Team (NFPET).
Human-caused fires including the use of equipment and vehicles, off-road vehicles (OHV’s), campfires, private debris burning, and recreational target shooting, remain the leading causes of wildfires in the central and western areas of Arizona. Firefighters across the area have been engaged in suppressing these human- caused fires, emphasizing the need for proactive fire prevention measures.
These fires coincide with a large amount of flammable fuels such as grasses across the area. As Arizona transitions into the summer months, marked by higher, drier temperatures, the risk of wildfire is expected to increase. Federal, state, tribal, and local fire authorities are encouraging visitors to take extreme caution to prevent human-caused wildfires
The goal of NFPT is to inform the public of current wildfire risk, promote fire safety messaging and help reduce the chances of human-caused fires from occurring. This multi-agency team is comprised of professionals from federal and state agencies, to promote fire safety awareness and prevention strategies.
The primary objective of the NFPET will be to engage the central and western areas of Arizona visiting with businesses, historic sites, visitor centers, popular roadside attractions, rest areas, and other high-trafficked areas to deliver fire prevention and fire safety education.
“Proactive fire management in the form of Fire Prevention education is paramount in the battle to reduce human caused fires across the state of Arizona”, says Matt Engbring Co-Chair Southwest Prevention Information Committee.
For detailed information regarding fire prevention information and fire restrictions, please visit the following sites:
Arizona: https://wildlandfire.az.gov/
Fire Restrictions: https://wildlandfire.az.gov/fire-restrictions
