The devastating wildfires in California have raised concerns about wildfire risks in Arizona. While Arizona's conditions are different, experts warn of the potential for large-scale wildfires due to dry fuel, strong winds, and the presence of an urban interface. Local fire departments are actively working to mitigate risks through fuel reduction projects, community education, and emergency preparedness plans.
Unfortunately, Arizonans are no strangers to fast-moving wildfires, but after seeing the devastating sights in California, it has people thinking - is there a plan in place if something similar were to happen here? Outside the Tom's Thumb Trailhead, Scottsdale fire crews get to work. Water gushes out of houses, trucks park outside construction sites and firefighters act quickly to extinguish flames aided by the whipping wind.
'This does show the significance of how we are still in extreme fire danger right now, even in Arizona,' says Scottsdale Fire Captain Dave Folio. However, conditions were favorable for fire crews in this instance, says Folio. Only two acres were burned before firefighters got it under control. Still, the threat of what could have happened is top of mind. 'This is dangerous stuff,' says Folio. 'We are still in two years without heavy moisture. Now, it’s dried out.' Dry fuel and intense winds is what Shawn Gilleland with Rural Metro Fire says is part of why the damage in California is so catastrophic. 'This looks like the worst nightmare,' Gilleland said about the situation in southern California. It's a nightmare he warns Arizonans to be wary of. While we don’t have the same kind of wind speeds and rolling hills, he warns there’s still risk from raging fires. 'We do have what we refer to as an urban interface, where our urban population interfaces with our wildland or preserve lands and lands that are undeveloped. So we do have the potential for these kinds of wildfires,' said Gilleland. Plans are in place for monitoring those potential risks. Each county has an emergency operation plan for disasters, including a large-scale wildfires. Arizona’s largest county - Maricopa - has a community wildfire protection plan. At-risk areas are identified by 44 different agencies that monitor the state and there is information on the Arizona Emergency Network on how to prepare a Go Kit if there is a risk to your community.Team members meet every six months to review and assess progress in case of a devastating emergency.Fire departments like Scottsdale also run fuel mitigation projects on the roads to prevent sparks from growing into embers. 'So if we were to have someone drag out a chain, throw out a cigarette, or whatever spark we might get, we’ve lessened the effect that it will have,' said Folio. Then, of course, educating homeowners is important, too. 'We’ve really tried to push the outlying areas, like North Scottsdale, Rio Verde, Cave Creek and Carefree to start the Firewise program,' says Gilleland. Tips from the program include clearing dead branches, grass and leaves in areas within 30 feet of your home. 'Making sure that if there is a fire - like what we are seeing in California - with yards and potentially miles of blowing embers, that they don’t find a place to catch anything. Don’t (leave) a pile of mesquite needles in your corner or room and sit there and (let it) smolder and burn,' said Gilleland
WILDFIRE ARIZONA CALIFORNIA FIRE RISK EMERGENCY PLANNING FUEL MITIGATION COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS
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