PHOENIX — Although Arizona's wildfire season is practically year-round now, the peak is still around the corner.
Governor Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, along with other agencies, addressed the media on Monday about taking action now.
Watch Governor Hobbs' full press conference in the player below:
"The importance of it is to give the awareness of a potential fire season," said John Truett with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
The potential for the 2024 wildfire season, specifically for May and June, shows the possibility of above-average activity for central and southern Arizona due to the growth of grass and brush.
In northern Arizona, however, a delayed start is anticipated thanks to the existing snowpack.
Truett says drought conditions are worse compared to last year, and 2023 was already a fairly active season.
According to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, more than 180,000 acres statewide went up in flames. Approximately 71% of all Arizona fires last year were human-caused, including the Diamond Fire in north Scottsdale.
During the press conference, Governor Hobbs spoke about providing wildland firefighters the tools and resources needed to fight fires, proposing $27 million to protect communities from wildfires.
"It's really important that we have that funding to make sure these guys all stay safe," Governor Hobbs stated. "We're going to fight for that in our budget."
The theme for this year's fire season is "Time For Action." The governor and others are calling to attention that now is the time to prepare and take action for the upcoming season.
"Wildfire really is dependent on ignition," Truett said. "The less ignitions we get from the public, the better off we are."
