March 22, 2021

Arizona officials warn of bad 2021 wildfire season

This year's wildfire season has the potential to be devastating due to widespread drought

fire climate drought A changing climate is prolonging and intensifying heat waves, scientists say, driving wildfires.
Wyoming Hotshots via inciweb.nwcg.gov

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and state forestry officials are urging the public to be wary because a looming wildfire season has the potential to be devastating due to widespread drought.

There is very little snowpack in the ponderosa pine forests that cover large parts of northern and eastern Arizona. And portions of the state with grasslands that haven’t burned recently are loaded with years of growth dried out by low rainfall.

State fire management officer John Truett said Monday that as soon as temperatures rise, central and southern Arizona could see widespread wildfires. By June, the whole state will be in danger.

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