Arizona battles rising wildfire threat in ‘never-ending kind of year’ as state grows hotter, drier

In 2024, Arizona experienced 2,162 wildfires, a 15% increase from 2023.

PHOENIX – Arizona officials urged residents to take precautions as firefighters face longer hours battling more intense wildfires across the state.

Gov. Katie Hobbs joined the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) for a media event outlining the 2025 seasonal fire outlook. They emphasized fire prevention and education for Arizona residents.

DFFM is responsible for protecting 22 million acres of state and private lands. The department has treated vegetation to mitigate fire risk on over 23,000 acres since July and aims to expand that to 30,000 acres.

Hobbs urged the public to take proactive measures in fire prevention and highlighted the role of human activity in wildfire outbreaks. According to a DFFM report, 66% of Arizona wildfires in 2024 were determined to be human caused.

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As outdoor activities ramp up, key fire mitigation tips include using caution with tools that can spark, never leaving campfires unattended, clearing dead vegetation around homes and removing flammable debris.

“Most fires are human caused, not maliciously, but by taking these actions, we can all do our part to prevent them. While fire prevention saves lives, it protects property and preserves our land … we all have to work together to mitigate the impact,” Hobbs said.

In 2024, Arizona experienced 2,162 wildfires, a 15% increase from 2023. DFFM expects wildfire activity to continue to rise as drought conditions persist across the state. Increasingly dry vegetation and rising temperatures are heightening fire risks.

According to Drought.gov, large portions of Arizona are currently experiencing drought conditions ranging from severe to exceptional – the highest level.

“This is one of the most critical years that we’ve seen in our careers,” said John Truett, DFFM fire management officer. “You don’t need an extreme event right now to have fire carry. … Once that comes, it stretches the resources very thin.”

Arizona has dispatched fire crews and resources across the country to aid in relief efforts as wildfires spread.

“Through the West and over on the East Coast, national resources are rather drawn down right now. We have to be very cautious on how we’re going to aid our partners … to make sure we have enough coverage in the state,” Truett said.

Hobbs’ 2026 executive budget proposal, which must be negotiated with the Republican-controlled Legislature, includes a 15% pay increase for state wildland firefighters and additional funding for DFFM wildfire suppression budget – a $30 million payment.

The agency did not report cuts of federal grants or funds.

Tiffany Davila, public affairs officers for DFFM, warned that wildfires in Arizona are becoming more intense and increasingly difficult to contain. She emphasized that Arizona is a year-round fire season.

“We had another fire on the Bureau of Land Management (land) in early January, as well. We just had a nearly 300-acre fire down on State Route 79 over the weekend, 18 fires in a 20-mile stretch. If that doesn’t show that we’re going to be busy this year because of the conditions, we don’t know what else to say,” Davila said.

Arizona’s firefighters are working longer hours, spending extended periods in the field and away from their families.

Brandon Thibodeau, a DFFM lead firefighter based in Phoenix, said the workload has noticeably increased since he joined his crew two seasons ago.

“We definitely are getting more hours throughout the last couple years. It’s a never-ending kind of year with fires going everywhere,” Thibodeau said.

His crew is dispatched across Arizona, often for weeks at a time, a strain that extends beyond the job’s physical demands.

Thibodeau said it’s “always rough, being away from your family. … It’s hard to be away so long, 14 days, if not longer.”

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