Since Jan. 1, 2018, there have been 152 forest fires in Arizona; 150 of them were man-made.
“One spark is really all it takes to cause a wildfire,” Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management spokeswoman Tiffany Davila said.
“We want everybody to be safe and use their heads,” she said. “When they’re out on the road, don’t drags tow chains. If they’re camping, put out your campfires completely before walking away and make sure they’re cool to the touch.”
Arizona had a dry winter, and low precipitation combined with rising temperatures can lead to disaster for forests in northern and southern Arizona.
Last year 100,000 more acres burned than in 2016, Davila said. It’s forecasted to be a hot summer, and Davila said prevention was the key to ensure the trend of hotter and longer — burning wildfire doesn’t continue into 2018.
