2020 Arizona wildfires

Natural disasters in the USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

With 2,520 fires burning 978,519 acres (395,993 ha) of land, the 2020 wildfire season was the largest wildfire season in the US state of Arizona since 2011.[1][2] Wildfires occur year-round in the state but are most numerous and typically burn the largest swaths of land during spring and summer. Peak fire season in the Southwest typically runs from May, when conditions are windy, hot, and dry, through mid-July, when the North American Monsoon provides the region with precipitation to slow fire activity.[3]

Total fires2,520
Total area978,519 acres (395,993 ha)
Deaths1 indirect
Injuries0
Quick facts Statistics, Total fires ...
2020 Arizona wildfires
Map of fires during the 2020 Arizona wildfire season
Statistics
Total fires2,520
Total area978,519 acres (395,993 ha)
Impacts
Deaths1 indirect
Injuries0
Costunknown
2021 →
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By the end of the year, more than fifty fires larger than 1,000 acres (400 ha) had burned within the state. However, the most notable fire of the season, the Ocotillo Fire, burned only 980 acres (400 ha) over four days and threatened the town of Cave Creek. It destroyed 20 buildings, including 8 homes.[4]

Background

Further information: List of Arizona wildfires

Historically, while "fire season" in Arizona began in April in desert areas and May around the Mogollon Rim with peak activities near July, there is now a fire risk year-round. Arizona is drought prone, with precipitation much different between the deserts and mountains. When the snow pack on the mountain melts, the moisture can reduce the risk of wildfire events. However, climate change can raise the snow line, reduce snow pack, decrease runoff, or cause earlier snowmelt. A risk of decreasing precipitation and dry monsoons could heighten fire risks. Heavy rainfall can allow vegetation to grow, and many of these plants quickly dry out in just hours.[5]

Early outlook

In April, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management expected a "potentially active" fire season reminiscent of the 2019 season. Increased grass load from a wet winter is expected to contribute to an elevated risk of fire in the Central Arizona deserts.[6] Southwest Coordination Center Predictive Services forecasted an Above Normal risk for significant wildland fires from May through July for most of Arizona (excepting the Colorado Plateau), with fire potential returning to Normal by August with the arrival of a climatologically average monsoon. They cited above normal fine fuel loading in southern Arizona deserts and an active weather pattern through mid-June to support this risk.[7] A fire department helicopter crashed while bringing supplies to firefighters, killing the pilot.[8]

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or produced significant structural damage or casualties.

More information Name, County ...
Name County Acres Start date Containment date[a] Notes Ref
BasinMohave38,804May 10May 21Lightning-caused[10][11]
East DesertMaricopa1,492May 17May 22Human-caused[12]
JackrabbitMaricopa2,034May 25May 26Human-caused[13][14]
RangePinal3,286May 29June 1Cause unknown[15]
OcotilloMaricopa980May 30June 2Human-caused; 20 buildings destroyed in Cave Creek[4]
SawtoothPinal24,729May 30June 19Lightning-caused[16]
SunsetYavapai3,964May 31June 1Human-caused; Forced closure of I-17 in both directions on May 31[17][14]
TortolitaPinal3,321June 5June 11Lightning-caused[18][14]
BighornPima119,987June 5July 23Lightning-caused; around 80 homes in Catalina were forced to evacuate on June 12
Summerhaven and surrounding areas on Mt. Lemmon were given evacuation notice on June 16.
The Willow Canyon region of Mt. Lemmon and some parts of Oracle were told to evacuate on June 18
Further evacuations were announced for the eastern slopes of the Santa Catalinas on June 26		[19][20]
Blue RiverGila30,408June 5June 25Lightning-caused[21]
EmigrantCochise4,756June 6June 14Lightning-caused[22][14]
Dry LakeGraham4,369June 6June 24Lightning-caused[23][14]
BringhamGreenlee23,142June 6July 29Lightning-caused; 36-mile closure of US 191
2 structures destroyed		[24][14]
MangumCoconino71,450June 8July 27Closure of US 89A and SR 67, making the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park inaccessible
Evacuations were issued for areas along House Rock Road east of Jacob Lake on June 17
4 structures destroyed		[25][14]
BushMaricopa193,455June 13July 6Human-caused; Evacuations issued for: Tonto Basin, Punkin Center (June 14),
Sunflower, Apache Lake (June 16)
Brownsville, Jake's Corner, Slate Creek, and Pioneer Pass (June 18)
Gila County evacuation orders were lifted on June 20		[26]
CentralMaricopa4,499June 20June 30Human-caused[27][28]
AquilaMaricopa893June 23June 26Human-caused; 6 structures destroyed[29][30]
Painted WagonMaricopa490June 25June 27human-caused; 5 structures destroyed[29][31]
Wood Springs 2Apache12,861June 27July 11Lightning-caused; 7 structures destroyed on the Navajo Nation[32][14]
BouldersPinal1,011June 30July 4[33]
PollesGila628July 3July 23Lightning-caused; A helicopter supporting firefighting efforts crashed on July 7, taking the life of pilot Bryan Boatman.
The incident is under investigation.		[34][35]
MonumentCoconino1,785July 5July 30Lightning-caused[36][14]
BurenMaricopa2,800July 11July 14Human-caused[36][14]
NavarroPima2,306July 11July 14Lightning-caused[37][36]
JacksonGraham2,946July 11July 22Lightning-caused[38]
Blue River 2Gila28,051July 13July 27Lightning-caused[39][14]
ValleyGraham29,639July 13July 18Lightningt-caused; 2 structures destroyed[40][14]
PineYavapai2,184July 14August 13Lightning-caused[41][14]
ThumbCoconino8,354July 16July 26Lightning-caused[42]
Pine HollowCoconino11,405July 29August 6Lightning-caused[43]
Cassadore SpringsGila21,482August 1August 19Lightning-caused, 1 structure destroyed
Kean Fire merged into the Cassadore Springs Fire on August 3		[14]
Bumble BeeYavapai2,993August 7August 12Human-caused[44]
GoldfieldMaricopa1,970August 10August 12Human-caused[14]
KlausCochise4,864August 10August 24Lightning-caused[45][46]
Wood CanyonCochise2,320August 12August 17Lightning-caused[14]
QuailGila2,064August 15August 19Lightning-caused[14]
RidgeMohave3,079August 16September 2Lightning-caused[47]
High CreekGraham1,642August 16August 20Lightning-caused[14]
GriffinGila61,821August 17September 6Lightning-caused; Gin Fire merged with the Griffin Fire on August 21[48][49]
SaltGila21,670August 17September 6Lightning-caused[50][49]
RollsMaricopa1,350August 18August 24Lightning-caused[51]
LoferApache1,256August 18September 22Lightning-caused[52][14]
Black CanyonMohave7,897August 18September 5Lightning-caused[14]
ConstellationYavapai12,252August 20August 28Lightning-caused[53]
SuperstitionPinal9,539August 20September 24Lightning-caused[54]
RockhouseGila19,506August 21September 15Lightning-caused[55][14]
MedicineGila8,930August 22September 9Lightning-caused; 1 structure destroyed[56][14]
BozarthYavapai5,000August 24September 15Lightning-caused[57]
MeddlerGila4,452August 24August 30Lightning-caused[58][49]
Pilot KnobYavapai11,000August 24August 31Lightning-caused[59][14]
HiddenGila6,106August 25September 15Lightning-caused[60][14]
JuniperGraham2,867August 27September 1Lightning-caused[61]
BoltMaricopa1,420August 28September 4Lightning-caused[62][49]
LightGraham937August 28September 10Human-caused; 3 structures destroyed[14]
Cow CanyonGreenlee35,371September 3November 27Lightning-caused[14]
SearsMaricopa14,476September 25October 11Cause unknown; 13 structures destroyed[14]
EspinosaPima1,834October 5October 16Human-caused[14]
EncinosPima14,905October 6October 24Human-caused[14]
HorseYavapai9,537October 15October 31Human-caused[14]
HabaneroPinal3,128October 21October 24Human-caused[14]
TrailYavapai1,674October 24November 2Human-caused[14]
Three HillsPima1,350October 27October 30Human-caused[14]
Round ValleyCochise1,587October 31November 5Human-caused[14]
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References

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