Note: The National Weather Service has proclaimed this Monsoon Safety Awareness Week, and each day the Star will examine a different, potentially dangerous weather concern that is part of the desert's rainy season.
Due to our dry climate, wildfires are a year-round threat in Arizona, but monsoon also holds the potential for dangerous fires:
- Heading into the summer, extreme daytime temperatures and dry conditions can set the stage for a wildfire.
- The first thunderstorms of the rainy season produce lots of lightning, but very little rainfall. The potential for lightning strikes to ignite dry fuels (brush, trees and grass) is great.
- Couple lightning with strong winds, and a fire could spread rapidly
What you can do
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Fires may be inevitable, but there are measures you can take to secure your belongings. To keep up on all hazard, emergency and disaster information, check out the Arizona Emergency Information Network. Visit the Public Lands Information Center for current fire restrictions and closures in our area. More fire prevention and restriction information can be found at Arizona Interagency Wildfire Prevention.
Follow on twitter
- Updates from the Incident Information System: http://twitter.com/inciweb
- Fire information from Coronado National Forest: http://twitter.com/CoronadoNF_Fire
- Northwest Fire Department updates about fires, health and safety: http://twitter.com/NorthwestFire
- Eric Neitzel, Show Low Fire Department Public Information Officer and White Mountain Joint Information System Manager who responds to large wildfires and other disasters in the United States: http://twitter.com/ENeitzel
