The Tonto National Forest, encompassing 2,873,200 acres, is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the ninth largest national forest in the United States. The forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet in the Sonoran Desert to 7,400 feet in the ponderosa pine forests of the Mogollon Rim. The Tonto National Forest is also the most visited "urban" forest in the United States.
The Schultz Fire was a wildfire which burned over 15,000 acres (6,100 ha), including Schultz Peak in Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, in June 2010. The suspected cause is a campfire left unattended, and the United States Forest Service is offering a $2500 reward for information.
The Tinder Fire was a wildfire that burned 16,309 acres (6,600 ha) of the Coconino National Forest in the U.S. state of Arizona during April and May 2018. The fire was detected by a United States Forest Service (USFS) lookout tower on April 27, 2018, and firefighters began working to contain its spread within the day. Benefiting from strong winds, low humidity, and high temperatures, the fire grew rapidly over late April, prompting the closure of Arizona State Route 87 and evacuation orders for 1,000 houses in Coconino County. These orders remained until May 4. Almost 700 firefighters were involved in combating the fire, which was fully contained on May 24. The investigation into the fire determined that the Tinder Fire was caused by a prohibited campfire.
The Rattlesnake Fire was a wildfire that burned 26,072 acres (10,551 ha) in Navajo and Greenlee Counties, in Arizona. The fire was detected on April 11, 2018, on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and spread onto the San Carlos Indian Reservation and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests over the following four days. Fanned by high winds, the Rattlesnake Fire spread rapidly until it was contained on May 1. The fire continued to burn within containment until May 27. No structures were damaged or destroyed by the fire, but 15 firefighters were injured. Investigators suspected the cause of the fire was human activity, but it was never determined with certainty.
The Cumero Fire was a wildfire that burned 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) in Pima County, Arizona, and Sonora, Mexico. The fire was detected on July 5, 2018, burning in the Coronado National Forest near the Mexico–United States border. The fire was contained on July 8 and continued to burn until July 10. No structures were destroyed or damaged by the Cumero Fire, nor was a cause for the fire determined.
The 2020 Arizona wildfire season was a series of wildfires that burned across the state of Arizona. The season is a part of the 2020 Western United States wildfire season. With 2,520 fires burning 978,519 acres (395,993 ha) of land, it was the largest wildfire season in Arizona since 2011. 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.
The Mangum Fire was a wildfire in Kaibab National Forest in Arizona in the United States. The fire, which started on June 8, 2020 approximately 16 miles north of the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, burned a total of 71,450 acres (28,915 ha). The fire threatened the community of Jacob Lake, Arizona, resulting in its evacuation. Select highways were closed, including Highway 67, which resulted in closure of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Additionally, areas of the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness were inaccessible due to closures. Four buildings were destroyed, including two historic cabins. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, however, fire officials have confirmed it was human caused.
The Wood Springs 2 Fire was a wildfire in the Navajo Nation, 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Wood Springs in Apache County, Arizona in the United States. The result of a lightning strike, the fire was first reported on June 27, 2020. The fire burned a total of 12,861 acres (5,205 ha) and was 98 percent contained as of July 13, 2020. Two outbuildings and five livestock pens were destroyed. One residence was damaged. The fire threatened the area around Fluted Rock, Arizona.
The Central Fire was a wildfire that burned in Tonto National Forest in Maricopa County, Arizona in the United States. The fire, which was first reported on June 20, 2020, burned a total of 4,499 acres (1,821 ha). It was contained on June 30, 2020 and was human caused.
The Goodwin Fire was a wildfire that burned 28,516 acres (11,540 ha) in the U.S. state of Arizona over 16 days, from June 24 to July 10, 2017. The fire destroyed 17 homes and damaged another 19 structures, but no firefighters or civilians were injured or died in the fire. Investigators did not determine any particular cause for the fire.
The 2021 Arizona wildfire season was a series of wildfires that burned across the state of Arizona, United States. Wildfires across the state burned 524,428 acres (212,228 ha) of land in at least 1,773 fires throughout the state, fueled in part by a drought, hot temperatures, and thunderstorms producing dry lightning. At one point in late June, over 20 active wildfires were burning across the state.
The Backbone Fire was a wildfire that started near Payson, Arizona on June 16, 2021. The fire burned 40,855 acres (16,533 ha) was fully contained on July 19, 2021.
The Sawmill Fire was a wildfire that burned 46,991 acres (190 km2) in the U.S. state of Arizona in April 2017. The fire was caused by the detonation of a target packed with Tannerite at a gender reveal party in the Coronado National Forest. No injuries or fatalities resulted from the fire, nor were any buildings destroyed, though the fire did come close to the historic Empire Ranch, a National Register of Historic Places property. Over 800 personnel from various federal, state, and local agencies and organizations worked to contain and then extinguish the Sawmill Fire at a cost of $8.2 million.
The Antelope Fire was a wildfire that burned in the Klamath National Forest, the Modoc National Forest, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and in Lava Beds National Monument in Siskiyou County, California, in the United States. The fire was started by a lightning strike and was first reported on August 1, 2021. As of October 15th, the fire had burned 145,632 acres (58,935 ha).
The River Complex 2021 was a wildfire complex burning in Klamath National Forest in Siskiyou County, California in the United States. The complex comprises over 20 wildfires that started as a result of lightning strikes during a series of thunderstorms in late July 2021. As of 25 October 2021, the fire had burned a total of 199,343 acres (80,671 ha) and became 100% contained. The largest fires in the complex were the Haypress–Summer Fire and the Cronan Fire.
The Tunnel Fire was a wildfire burning in Coconino National Forest and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, the Lack Bill Park neighborhood north of the city of Flagstaff, Arizona in the United States, and along U.S. Route 89. The fire was named after a tunnel landmark on Waterline Road, near where it ignited on Sunday, April 17, 2022. On June 3, 2022, the wildfire was declared 100% contained by AZIEN. It had burned 26,532 acres and had destroyed 30 homes. No fatalities or injuries were reported.
The June 2022 Flagstaff wildfires was a series of wildfires burning near the city of Flagstaff, Arizona. At least three wildfires were reported near Flagstaff and caused hundreds of people to evacuate. However, two of the three reported fires, which are the Haywire and Double fires, combined on June 13. Before the merger of both of the fires, the Double Fire burned 500 acres (200 ha). The first wildfire to be discovered was the Pipeline Fire on June 12 at around 10:15 AM (MST); By Monday evening on June 13, the fire burned 5,000 acres (2,000 ha). As of June 13, 2022, no injuries or deaths have been reported, and one structure has been destroyed.
The Frye Fire was a wildfire that burned 48,443 acres (19,604 ha) in Graham County, Arizona, United States, from June 7 to September 1, 2017. The fire was ignited by a lightning strike on Mount Graham, within the Coronado National Forest, and spread rapidly until it was mostly contained on July 12. The Frye Fire destroyed three buildings, briefly threatened the Mount Graham International Observatory, cost $26 million to contain and suppress, and involved more than 800 firefighters. There were no fatalities, but 63 firefighters were quarantined as a result of a strep throat outbreak.
The Boundary Fire was a wildfire that burned 17,788 acres (7,199 ha) of the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests in Arizona. The fire was ignited on June 1 when lightning struck a spot on the northeast side of Kendrick Peak within the Coconino National Forest. The fire spread rapidly for much of its duration because of high temperatures, steep terrain, leftovers from a previous wildfire, and high wind speeds. These same winds blew smoke over local communities and infrastructure; U.S. Route 180 was closed from June 8 to June 21. Smoke from was visible from the Grand Canyon. The Boundary Fire burned out on July 3, 2017.
