Fire restrictions go into place today in Arizona

May 21, 2013

Many agencies across Arizona are putting fire restrictions in place today.

Federal agencies, cities and counties are implementing a ban today on fires outside of developed areas. The Stage One restrictions also limit smoking to inside vehicles or buildings.

Officials say coordinating fire restrictions will help reduce the risk of wildfire across the state. The restrictions don't apply to all public lands in Arizona. The Kaibab National Forest north of the Grand Canyon, for example, won't have any limits on where campfires can be built because the vegetation there isn't as dry.

Officials with the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise said earlier this month that a dry winter and expected warming trend mean the potential for significant fire activity this season will be above normal on the West Coast and in the Southwest. The outlook concluded that above normal fire potential will develop across much of the southern halves of New Mexico and Arizona in May.