2026 Arizona wildfires
Series of wildfires
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 Arizona wildfires are a series of active wildfires currently ongoing in the U.S. state of Arizona.
| 2026 Arizona wildfires | |
|---|---|
The Hazen Fire burning on May 3 | |
| Statistics | |
| Total area | 35,000+ acres |
← 2025 | |
Background
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.[1]
List of wildfires
The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.
| Name | County | Acres | Start date | Containment date | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Havasu | Mohave | 3,868 | January 19 | January 28 | Started from an escaped prescribed burn. | [2][3] |
| Hazen | Maricopa | 1,191 | May 2 | May 15 | Cause undetermined but unrelated to weather. Burned near Buckeye. | [4][5] |
| Rock Canyon | Coconino | 4,823 | June 15 | July 6 | Lightning-caused. Burned in Kaibab National Forest, 9 miles (14 km) south of U.S. Route 89 in Arizona near the Arizona–Utah border. | [6][7][8][9] |
| Sycamore | Gila | 11,938 | June 15 | July 10 | Lightning-caused. Burned in Tonto National Forest 2.1 miles (3.4 km) west of Steer Mountain. Prompted level two "set" evacuations.[a] | [11][12] |
| Coconino, Yavapai | 27,393 | June 19 | July 30 | Unknown cause. Burned 7 miles (11 km) north of Sedona and prompted numerous level two evacuations and impacted air quality in areas around the fire.[a] | [13][14][15][16][17] | |
| Steamboat | Gila, Pinal | 1,576 | June 26 | July 1 | Prompted evacuation orders for Victory Ranch and Linx Ranch. | [18][19] |
| Island | La Paz | 3,218 | July 25 | August 11 | Burned in Cibola. | [20] |