The wet winter will have varying impacts on wildfire dangers statewide depending on the elevation.
Arizona’s low country has seen a dense buildup of tall grass, which could fuel any fire activity with spring winds and higher temperatures.
“Not a lot of acres burned last year, not a lot of fires as compared to prior years. But with that being said, because we didn’t see those ignitions in southern Arizona, we now just have an abundance of grass," said Tiffany Davila with the state Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
But the high country may have a delayed fire season.
"With the amount of snow pack on the ground now, it’s going to take a while for that to dry out; the soil is going to stay moist. So we might not see fire activity in Northern Arizona in mid-May, end of May, even in June," she said.
Davila says her department is working across Arizona on fuel mitigation projects.
The department is urging residents to stay vigilant and clear growth around homes.
