The state is working to prevent an invasive plant from returning to where the Hazen Fire burned near Buckeye last month.
Dried salt cedar bush fueled much of the fire which blew smoke into the Valley in early May. It burned almost 1,200 acres along the Gila River.
The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management says salt cedar is an aggressive plant that often overruns the state’s washes and crowds out native plants.
The crews plan to treat 700 acres along the Gila riverbed with targeted herbicide applications. Then they will plant native seeds to prevent salt cedar from growing again.
The state expects treatment to take several weeks.
More Arizona Wildfires News
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Officials have lifted fire restrictions for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, citing increased moisture and cooler temperatures. -
The state’s two largest fires, the Sycamore and Pocket fires, are approaching containment. But state officials warn that risks could persist as monsoon activity is beginning to pick up. -
Communities in Colorado and Utah are reporting drops in tourism as fires burn nearby and smoke floats in. -
This year's already strong El Niño is strengthening, a trend with potentially significant implications for the intense – and now tragic – fire season. -
A proposal sent to the November ballot by Republican lawmakers to undercut Arizona’s teachers unions has drawn the ire of police and firefighters across the state, who believe the measure would also harm their labor organizations.
