Spring has sprung in Arizona, along with grass and desert blooms. The wet winter has created a lot of greenery, which could turn into a lot of brown vegetation in the hot, dry summer.
The local Bureau of Land Management office is starting prescribed burns to combat wildfires this week around Cordes Junction.
BLM fire management officer Fritz Mueller says the recent rains could be an early indicator of a busy wildfire season.
“We’ve seen this type of moisture in, say, the early 90s and had significant fire seasons in the desert," Mueller said. "And then also in 2005, the winter part of that. And then 2005 was a significant fire season.”
Those past years mirror this winter, which may follow the same path to more wildfires.
“So we’re seeing the moisture trends this year of what we saw in those previous years, so it could be an indication of a busier than normal fire season in the desert,” Mueller said.
Mueller says prescribed burns like the one happening this week are typical this time of year to get rid of dead juniper trees.
