Phoenix, Arizona - Arizona is all too familiar with the devastation that fire and monsoon season can bring.
The powerful storms in Coconino County serve as a reminder for everyone in Arizona to take precaution during Monsoon Season. Today, a State of Emergency was declared for Coconino County to help assist in response and recovery efforts due to damage caused by flooding from storms in the area.
Arizonans can make a difference by getting prepared -- here’s how:
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Avoid Severe Weather: Stay up to date on weather reports and stay alert for weather watches, warnings, flood advisories and flash flood warnings.
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Travel Safely: When traveling in the car, avoid crossing roads with flood waters -- it only takes 18 inches of water to carry away a vehicle and six inches of water to knock down an adult. During dust storms, pull off to the side of the road and turn off vehicle lights.
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Plan Ahead: Get together with your family and decide on a evacuation and communication plan. Also, take the time and put together an emergency kit with enough food, water and supplies to last at least 72 hours.
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More Information: For more information on how to stay informed and get prepared, visit: https://ein.az.gov/monsoon-awareness.
Coming out of a record dry winter, Arizona braced for what would be a challenging fire season. Due to the proactive measures taken between the state and our federal cooperators, and the vigilance of our residents, the number of acres burned this year has decreased. At this time last year, 357,096 acres had already burned compared to 89,522 acres so far this year but this is still more work to be done on prevention efforts.
Eighty percent of this year’s fires have been human-caused. Here are ways Arizonans can do to help prevent wildfires:
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Put Out The Campfire: Take every precaution to make sure your campfire doesn’t turn into a wildfire. At the end of vacation, double check the campfire to confirm it’s completely out before leaving the campsite. If the fire isn’t cool to the touch, then it’s not okay to leave.
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Trim Your Trees. Cut Your Plants. Mow Your Grass: Be proactive when it comes to trimming down dead or dying tree limbs around your property. Cut any high grass and create “defensible” space against fires. A wildfire knows no boundaries, so take these p
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Don’t Feed The Fire With Flammable Materials: Always make sure to keep flammable materials away from your property. Move wood piles, propane tanks, and anything else flammable around your property so a bad situation doesn’t get worse.
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Don’t Drag Chains—One Spark Is All It Takes: Make sure to store chains tightly and avoid letting them dangle off the bed of your truck. Even one spark from a chain is enough to start a fire.
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More information: Be aware of the many public resources that are available to you online.
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FireRestrictions.us/az/- Learn about current fire restrictions in the U.S.
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WildlandFire.az.gov – The best resource for wildfire information
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DFFM.az.gov– Without a doubt, the single best agency on forestry and fire management in Arizona. Our message is “spread awareness, not a wildfire” for a reason