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The Safford Air Operations Center is maintained by the Bureau of Land Management.
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ARIZONA RESTRICTIONS AND CLOSURES
Weekend Of May 16th-19th, 2008
The amount of moisture that fell this past winter bodes well for the "official" fire season in Arizona, which often gets HOT by summertime. BUT - and that's a BIG BUT - Spring winds frequently make for dangerous conditions; that greenery can dry out and quickly turn into high quality fuel.
Land management agencies, tribal governments, counties and cities pay particularly close attention to fire prevention and preparedness every year - regardless of moisture - to ensure that your outdoor experiences will be pleasant and safe. “Red Flags” are raised by many land management agencies when the National Weather Service identifies a combination of dry fuels and critical weather conditions that could create extreme fire behavior within the next 24 hours.
When “Fire Weather Watches” are issued, they tell agencies that there is a high potential for Red Flag conditions developing in the coming 12-72 hours. To look for updated watches and warnings that might seriously affect your enjoyment of public lands – be they Red Flags or winter weather advisories - click here and check the map at the National Weather Service’s website.
The bottom line: BE CAREFUL with fire year round. And remember ALL FIREWORKS (EVEN SPARKLERS) ARE ILLEGAL IN ARIZONA!!
It`s always wise to call ahead to the Field Office or Ranger Station that oversees your destination to check on local conditions. Point and click at the interactive map of Arizona above to search all of the state's recreation sites for phone numbers and other details.
WHAT`S OPEN:
Most EVERYTHING!! except for the few areas listed below.
WHAT`S RESTRICTED:
Different land managing agencies establish their fire restrictions for their lands in different ways. Some use national forest or ranger district boundaries, county lines or other administrative areas. Use the maps found throughout this website to clarify where you might be restricted from using fires. Start here to find county or national forest boundaries.
NATIONAL FORESTS
Tonto National Forest entered restrictions May 8th. Use of wood or charcoal is restricted to ONLY certain developed campgrounds. To read the official news release with the list and check other details pertaining to smoking, firearms, etc., click here. Petroleum-fueled stoves, lanterns, and heating devices will be allowed.
Prescott National Forest also entered restrictions May 14th. No cooking or campfires of wood, charcoal, or coal are allowed except within developed recreation sites where grills and campfire rings are provided. Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns and heaters are allowed. Smoking is prohibited except within enclosed vehicles, buildings, or developed recreation sites where the area is cleared of all flammable material. To read the official news release, click here.
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest enters Stage One restrictions on May 21st. Ash-producing cooking or campfires (wood or charcoal) are only going to be allowed at specific campgrounds. Click here for the complete list. Propane fuel stoves will be allowed throughout the forest.
BLM LANDS
Fire restrictions began May 14th for the BLM's Phoenix District lands southwest of Metro Phoenix in the Lower Sonoran and north of the city in the Hassayampa areas. Also entering restrictions May 14th were the Yuma and Lake Havasu Field Offices of the Colorado River District. Building or using a fire, campfire, charcoal broiler or wood stove anywhere, even in developed camping and picnicking areas, is NOT allowed under these restrictions - propane gas stoves are still OK. Smoking is also restricted. To read the official news releases, click here and here.
Here is a map of BLM Field Office boundaries.
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES
Open fires of any type are prohibited on these refuges year round.
NATIONAL PARKS
National Parks and Monuments maintain differing restrictions on cooking and campfires year round - use the interactive map above to locate individual sites and check the NOTES at the bottom of a site's page for local restrictions.
Otherwise, there are no seasonal fire restrictions in any of Arizona`s 21 National Park Service installations.
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS (BIA)
Hopi Tribal lands remain under restrictions year round.
The Navajo Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico entered restrictions on May 1st. They are allowing recreational campfires ONLY in developed recreation areas.
To contact individual tribes about local conditions, use the following numbers: Tohono O'odham (520-383-8276), San Carlos Apache (928-475-2326), Salt River Pima (480-850-8244), Navajo Nation (928-729-4007), Hopi (928-734-2106), Gila River Community (520-796-5900), Fort Apache (928-338-5326).
Remember, tribal lands are NOT public lands; please observe all tribal restrictions on access, photography, etc.
STATE PARKS
Click here to locate Arizona State Parks and call ahead to the individual park to check for any local restrictions.
STATE TRUST LANDS and STATE WILDLIFE AREAS
All State Trust Lands within Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Yavapai, and Yuma counties enter restrictions May 14th banning wood and charcoal fires (gas stoves are allowed) and restricting smoking. To read the official news release, click here.
Remember, any non-hunting, out-of-season recreation on State Trust Lands requires a permit from the Arizona State Land Department.
LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
The annual Fire Ban for Maricopa County began May 12th. The ban includes the use of campfires, fire pits and charcoal grills. The ten Maricopa County parks that will be affected by the fire ban: Lake Pleasant Regional Park, White Tank Mountain Regional Park, Adobe Dam Regional Park, Buckeye Hills Regional Park, Estrella Mountain Regional Park (excludes turf area), San Tan Mountain Regional Park, Usery Mountain Regional Park, McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Cave Creek Regional Park, and Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area.
Smoking in the parks is still permissible, but all park users are strongly encouraged to be responsible in their use and ensure that all cigarettes are properly extinguished and placed in trash receptacles. To read the official news release, click here.
WHAT`S CLOSED:
Local conditions sometimes require land managers to close access or use of areas within their jurisdiction. ALWAYS check with local offices before venturing out on to Arizona's public lands.
The Eagle Fire on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Greenlee County about 35 miles south of Alpine required that a few hiking trails be closed: Highline Trail #47, East Eagle Trail #33, Sheep Saddle Trail #16, Hot Air/Telephone Mesa Trail #15, and Robinson Trail #27. Forest Road 54 and Forest Road 587 near Stray Horse Campground are closed. Click here for a map of the closure area. To read the official news release, click here.
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