The Navajo County Board of Supervisors convened for a special meeting last week to address the escalating threat of wildfires. The decision followed a meeting of the White Mountain Fire Coordinating Group (WMFCG) on June 3. This group comprises representatives from Apache and Navajo County Emergency Management, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Arizona State Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs – Ft. Apache Agency, Northeast Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, and Northeast Arizona Police Association.
The WMFCG aims to create a unified approach to fire restrictions, as well as to disseminate information and education regarding fire safety. The region’s coordination on entering and exiting fire restrictions is based on scientific data and expert updates. This cohesive strategy ensures a consistent response across the region.
Current conditions are extremely dry, and the region is expected to experience moderate to high Haines weather, which measures the potential for fires to become larger and spread faster. After discussion of unfavorable weather forecasts, firefighting resource availability, and current forest conditions, the WMFCG voted unanimously to enter Stage 1 fire restrictions. With this restriction, campfires are allowed, but they must be within a developed site.
Although ample resources are available at present, the increasing number of fires could soon strain these resources as they are called upon to assist in other regions. The current state of the land is extremely dry, with little to no relative humidity recovery at night, exacerbating the fire danger.
Navajo County Emergency Management reminds all citizens and visitors that it is never permissible to leave a fire unattended or abandoned without first completely extinguishing it until it is cold to the touch. Multiple human-caused fires have already occurred, highlighting the importance of vigilance. If sparks or embers were to ignite a fire, the potential wildfire could be catastrophic to nearby communities.
