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Breezy, dry weather patterns are keeping wildfire fighters at the ready

Breezy and dry weather conditions in Arizona over the last several days have had those who fight wildfires at the ready.

Tiffany Davila with the Arizona Forestry Department said it’s important to be proactive and vigilant under these conditions.

“Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve started staging our hand crews in more of our higher risk areas, so the Tucson area, the Phoenix area. And not only crews, but more engines so we have that extra capacity to respond faster and put those fires out quicker," Davila said. 

A wet winter and spring allowed the agency to conduct more prescribed burns than in the past to clear fuel.

But those conditions also created more vegetation in general to serve as fuel for future blazes.   

Tom Maxedon was the host of KJZZ’s Weekend Edition from 2017 to 2024.