FIREWISE DAY BRINGS REMINDER THAT WILDFIRE SEASON ISN'T JUST IN SUMMER

Published on August 26, 2024

As fall is approaching, YCSO and others were given the chance August 25th to remind people that wildfire season doesn't end with summer. At The Ranch in Prescott's annual Firewise Day, nearly 80 people turned out to listen to a panel that included YCSO Public Affairs Officer Steve Brazell and Jeep Posse /Search and Rescue member Mark Richardson, who exhorted all county residents to always be ready for a wildfire emergency. 

This year, so far, the county has been fortunate when it comes to wildfires, because the vast majority of fires have been small and in remote locations away from residences and other structures. The largest blaze, the Skeleton Fire at 24,000 acres on BLM and Tonto National Forest land, did not involve casualties or damage to structures as it burned several miles northeast of Black Canyon City. The Farm Fire, southwest of Prescott near Yava, was small but required a few evacuations as it threatened some local ranches for a time. And, of course, the Ironwood Fire near Cordes Lakes, which was sparked by an RV that caught fire on I-17, threatened a residential area, but no evacuations were required. Although the majority of 2024 fires were lightning caused, all residents still need to be careful. A recent fire was sparked by target shooting, and others earlier this year from vehicles dragging chains and residents trying to burn off weeds. 

At the Firewise Day, The Ranch Fire Safety Committee member Joe Pendergast (pictured) told the gathering 70% of the wildfires in 2023 were human caused, and he cautioned folks to always be careful with campfires, cigarettes, firearms, and chains. "Think of losing your home, all of your personal mementos and records, everything you have", he said. HOA council chairman Pat Fitzgerald said more than 100 lots in The Ranch had been brought up to Firewise standards in the past year and Fire Safety Committee Chairman Ron Riggs told the meeting that the latest wildfire hazzard assessment of the area came in at 65 (moderate), down significantly from a few years ago.

Prescott Fire Department officials told the gathering they depend on the public to be actively engaged in fire prevention year-round, especially in light of current agency staffing challenges, and that collaboration between citizens and first responders is critical to keeping everyone "fire safe" through mitigation and prevention.

Mark Richardson, who told the meeting the YCSO Search and Rescue (SAR) unit is among the oldest in the United States, outlined how evacuations work, and urged residents to always follow instructions of the emergency personnel at the scene over what they might see on a cell phone app or hear from secondhand information. He also reminded residents that in the case of an evacuation, always go to an official shelter and register so that officials have a record that you left your home, should they get calls from your family or friends asking about your safety. By the way, YCSO SAR involves the work of hundreds of dedicated volunteers, who respond to more than 300 calls in an average year for all kinds of emergencies.

PAO Brazell reminded all residents to make sure they are signed up for emergency notifications (not just wildfires, but for any emergency situation) by going to the homepage of ycsoaz.gov and clicking on "alertYAVAPAI - Everbridge" under Featured Content. You can also text the phrase alertYAVAPAI to 888777 for text alerts only. Brazell also urged residents to register their location on the companion Genasys Protect system at protect.genasys.com.