Sedona AZ – The recent winter moisture across Arizona provided some much needed relief to the state after struggling with a lack of moisture and severe drought conditions over the last couple of years. Even with all of our rain and snowfall, wildland fire forecasters still predict some higher fire activity in parts of the state.

On Monday, the Department of Forestry and Fire Management Officer John Truett briefed Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and his executive staff on this year’s fire season outlook.

Last year’s fire numbers dropped significantly from the previous year, despite the state’s dry conditions.

In 2018, there were 2,000 wildfires for a total of 165,000 acres burned, on private, state, federal, and, tribal lands. In 2017, however, the state had 2,205 fires equating to 420,000 acres burned.

Increased prevention efforts through elevated social media and marketing campaigns, earlier fire restrictions and closures to state and federal lands, prepositioning of crews in higher risk areas, and the state’s proactive approach to fuels reduction work are some of the crediting factors in those decreased numbers.

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