The Navajo County Board of Supervisors approved Stage 1 fire restrictions throughout the county last week. Restrictions will be in place until monsoon conditions significantly alleviate risk.
The U.S. Forest Service website outlines Stage 1 restrictions as follows.
What is prohibited
Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire or stove except in Forest Service developed recreation sites is prohibited.
No smoking is allowed except in an enclosed vehicle or building, or in a developed recreation site.
What is allowed
Petroleum fueled stoves, lanterns or heating devices are allowed, providing such devices meet the fire underwriter’s specifications for safety .
Shooting firearms is allowed. Make sure to follow normal federal rules, including no shooting within 150 yards of a campsite, developed recreation site, or occupied area, residence or building.
As always, fireworks are illegal in the national forest areas of our state.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding fire restrictions, call 311 or go online to www.navajocountyaz.gov.
“This time of year we are always a little on edge,” said Navajo County Emergency Management Director Mary Springer while addressing the Board of Supervisors June 13. She noted that higher temperatures and winds are factors for a volatile upcoming fire season.
Springer also mentioned that while the area experienced a higher amount of precipitation before fire season began, the risk for wildfire is still extreme. In Arizona in 2016, 799 wildfires were human caused. So far, 2017 has seen 796 human caused fires. Officials of the Forest Service and Navajo County urge recreationists to use utmost caution when utilizing our forest areas and campgrounds.
As of June 14 there were 17 fires burning in the region, including the Wildcat Fire eight miles west of Heber, the Highline Fire eight miles north of Payson, the Boundary Fire near Kendrick Mountain Peak 17 miles northwest of Flagstaff and the Lizard Fire near Sedona at Cochise Stronghold Canyon. The causes of the Wildcat and Highline fires are listed as “under investigation,” while Lizard and Boundary appear to have been sparked by lightning.
