Dec. 17: Soap Fire grows to 600 acres while Horton Fire burns more than 400 acres
Two wildfires broke out in northern Arizona over the weekend, serving as a reminder that wildfire season is a year-round issue.
Andy Nordquist with the Tonto National Forest says proper staffing and resources are also a challenge around this time.
“Our staffing for the forest service and other agencies is adjusting as time goes on to these year-round seasons," Nordquist said. "But at the end of the day when you’ve had a long, we’ve had a very long hot fire season on the Tonto [National Forest] and eventually people need a break here and there. So that’s why this time of year can be a challenge, but we’re getting what we need for now.”
The Soap Fire northwest of Black Canyon City had grown to more than 600 acres on Tuesday.
The dry winter has helped the Horton Fire grow more than 400 acres, since Saturday, in the rugged terrain around the Sitgreaves and Tonto National forests.
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The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management is collaborating with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to carry out a month-long pile burn that is expected to span across 12,000 acres.
