Officials from the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are seeing a large increase in the amount of litter and illegal campfires in the forest as record numbers of campers visit the forest — almost double last year's visitor count for April.
Spokesman Steve Johnson says as weather warms up in the Valley, more campers means not only more litter, but a greater risk of a major wildfire.
"A lot of people that are leaving their trash, we’ve had eight abandoned campfires, 18 illegal campfires, since the campfire ban went into place on April 22," he said. "You’re banned from having any kind of fires unless it’s a pressurized liquid or gas device that you can shut on and off."
Improved campgrounds in the forest remain closed, but dispersed camping in unimproved areas is still permitted. Johnson urges visitors to remove their trash and not litter the forest.
