2024 Arizona wildfires

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2024 Arizona wildfires
2024 AZ Wildcat Fire Initial Attack Retardant Drop.jpg
The Wildcat Fire, which burned in the Tonto National Forest
Statistics [1]
Total fires2,162
Total area≥280,000 acres (110,000 ha)
Season
←  2023
2025  →

The 2024 Arizona wildfires were a series of wildfires that burned throughout the state of Arizona during the calendar year 2024.

Contents

Background

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]

Summary

In the winter from 2023-24, above-average precipitation lead to vegetation growth, especially in Maricopa and Pinal counties, providing fuel for the fires. This contributed to a 54% increase in wildfires in Pinal County from last year. Above-average spring temperatures led to an early start to wildfires in Central and Southern Arizona, but snowpack in the northern portion of the state held off fires. A late, below-average monsoon and warm, dry conditions continued into fall and winter months, allowing fires to last late into the year. September and October were some of the hottest months in Arizona. Prolonged warm and dry conditions that lasted into December contributed to the Horton Fire. [3]

The dry vegetation was influenced by a drought that had come from previous years. The number of fires and acreage had increased since previous years, including a 15% increase of wildfires since 2023. [3]

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.

NameCountyAcresStart dateContainment dateNotesRef
Rock Gila 4,306April 11 [4]
Wolf Coconino 9,896April 29May 23 [5] [6] [7]
Flying Bucket Maricopa 2,795May 6May 12 [8]
Toyo Gila, Graham 1,778May 10May 24 [9]
Wildcat Maricopa 14,402May 18June 3 [10]
Rocky Graham 1,597May 23May 27 [11]
Refuge Yuma, La Paz 1,041May 26July 10While not fully contained, local fire crews have allowed the fire to smolder for the coming weeks. [12]
Spring Maricopa 4,097June 1June 5 [13]
Adams Maricopa 5,029June 2June 10 [14]
Top Gila 3,292June 9June 18 [15]
Foote Greenlee 4,558June 14September 3 [16]
Sayer Coconino 1,049June 16June 23 [17]
Boulder View Maricopa 3,711June 27July 16Human-caused (estimated cause) Most people within the range of 2–3 miles had to evacuate.

Multiple emergency alerts were sent out (approx: 7+) (more accurate confirmed: 5+) during the first few weeks of the active fire.

 [18]
Lockett Coconino 2,782June 29July 10Lightning-caused [19] [20]
Buckhorn Graham 1,006July 10August 10 [21]
Watch Gila, Graham 2,162July 10July 17Destroyed 21 buildings and 13 other structures, caused by suspected arson [22]
Freeman Pinal 32,568July 11July 18 [23]
Rabbit Coconino 3,016July 17July 26 [24]
Adessa Pinal 1,424July 24July 31 [25]
Sand Stone Maricopa 27,390July 25August 22 [26]
Waterman Yavapai 3,059July 25July 31 [27]
Summit Graham 5,905July 27August 2 [28]
Brushy Graham 8,284July 27August 3 [29]
Skeleton Yavapai 24,034August 3August 24 [30]
Clair Maricopa 2,170August 4August 22 [31]
Bartlett Maricopa 6,161August 4August 22 [32]
Sheep Gila 2,483August 6August 22 [33]
Element Mohave 5,364August 6August 19 [34]
Preacher Gila 3,167August 28September 23 [35]
Black Mesa 2 Yavapai 2,605August 31September 8 [36]
Long Gulch Yavapai 1,227August 31September 23 [37]
West Gila 15,074September 1 [38]
Wood Pinal 7,211September 1September 13 [39]
Siphon Pinal 15,527September 10September 27 [40]
Point Maricopa 5,154September 10September 29 [41]
Brigade Coconino 1,812September 21October 9 [42]
Flood Pinal 4,400October 9October 16 [43]
Vein Pima, Santa Cruz 1,291October 12October 14 [44]
Horton Gila, Coconino 8,346December 15February 4, 2025 [45]
2024 Arizona wildfires
Perimeters of 2024 Arizona wildfires (map data)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Arizona Fire Information". dffm.az.gov. Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Arizona Fire Season: In-Depth Guide". wfca.com. Western Fire Chiefs Association. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Wildland Fire Report 2024" (PDF). dffm.az.gov. Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Rock Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Wolf Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved May 13, 2024.[ dead link ]
  6. ↑ "Wolf Fire operations wrap up following 10,000 acres of forest treatment". AZEIN. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  7. ↑ "National Fire News". National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Flying Bucket Fire south of Goodyear 100% contained; 2,795 acres burned". azfamily. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Toyo Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Wildcat Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Rocky Incident". Arizona Wildfire Dashboard- Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Refuge Incident". InciWeb. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Spring Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Adams Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Top Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Foote Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Sayer Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Boulder View Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Lockett Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Lockett Fire final update". fs.usda.gov. United States Forest Service . Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Buckthorn Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Watch Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  23. ↑ "Freeman Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Rabbit Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Adessa Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  26. ↑ "Sand Stone Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Watchman Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  28. ↑ "Summit Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  29. ↑ "Brushy Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  30. ↑ "Skeleton Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  31. ↑ "Clair Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  32. ↑ "Bartlett Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Sheep Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Element Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  35. ↑ "2024 - Preacher Fire - TNF". InciWeb. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  36. ↑ "Black Mesa 2 Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  37. ↑ "Long Gulch Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  38. ↑ "West Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  39. ↑ "Wood Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  40. ↑ "Siphon Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  41. ↑ "Point Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  42. ↑ "Brigade Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  43. ↑ "Flood Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  44. ↑ "Vein Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  45. ↑ "Horton Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
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