2023 Arizona wildfires | |
---|---|
![]() Aerial view of the Spoon Fire on July 28 | |
Statistics [1] | |
Total fires | 1,837 |
Total area | 188,483 acres (76,276 ha) |
Impacts | |
Damage | $9,597,838 (2023 USD) (suppression efforts) [1] |
Season | |
← 2022 2024 → |
A series of wildfires burned throughout the U.S. state of Arizona in 2023.
Historically, while peak fire times were from June to July before monsoon season, wildfires now occur at any time of year. Wildfire conditions are influenced by heavy drought and dryness in the state, but snowmelt in the mountains leads to vegetation growth. With decreasing precipitation in spring, fires tend to start earlier. Monsoons affect fire conditions, with above-average monsoons hindering fires and below-average allowing them to spread. Dryness common in Arizona quickly dries out vegetation, allowing dangerous fire conditions. [2]
The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or produced significant structural damage or casualties.
Name | County | Acres | Start date | Containment date [a] | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Volunteer | Coconino | 2,675 | May 23 | 2023 | [4] | |
Bullet | Maricopa | 3,240 | June 4 | June 2023 | [5] | |
Ridge | Coconino | 10,210 | June 4 | August 22 | [6] | |
Diamond | Maricopa | 1,960 | June 27 | 2023 | [7] | |
Beehive | Santa Cruz | 10,745 | June 30 | 2023 | [8] | |
Pilot | Yavapai and Mohave | 34,810 | July 1 | August 3 | Human caused. | [9] |
Campbell | Greenlee | 1,416 | July 10 | 2023 | [10] | |
Adams Robles Complex Fire | Cochise | 5,232 | July 19 | July 2023 | [11] | |
Guzzler | Coconino | 1,542 | July 19 | 2023 | Lightning-caused. Burned about 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Heber-Overgaard in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. | [12] [13] |
Grapevine | Yavapai | 1,049 | July 21 | August 9 | [14] | |
Diamond | Maricopa | 1,960 | July 22 | July 2023 | [15] | |
Round Hill | Pima | 3,000 | July 22 | 2023 | ||
Eskiminzin | Pinal | 1,113 | July 23 | 2023 | ||
Gallineta | Pima | 1,601 | July 23 | 2023 | ||
Spoon | Gila | 4,560 | July 24 | 2023 | Lightning-caused. Burned 26 miles (42 km) west of Whiteriver. | [16] |
Gold Hill | Coconino | 6,239 | July 27 | 2023 | Naturally-caused. Burned 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Cameron. | [17] [18] |
Valentine | Gila | 7,724 | August 16 | December 1 | Lightning-caused. Burned 11 miles (18 km) of Young. Suppression efforts cost $10 million. | [19] [20] [21] |