Dry conditions, coupled with recent and record-breaking early temperatures, signal a possible faster start to Arizona’s fire season. On Friday, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) along with local and federal partners briefed Governor Katie Hobbs on an anticipated long and active fire season and introduced new Department technology to assist in fire suppression response.
This year, state and federal fire analysts expect the season to ramp up quickly in southern and southeastern Arizona due to long-term dryness and abundance of fine fuel across the landscapes. By May, forecasters expect activity to tick northward across the Mogollon Rim and into northeastern Arizona. Fire forecasters believe tree mortality and drought-stressed trees, coupled with the dry conditions could be catalysts for high activity.
This year, DFFM has a new tool to support wildland firefighters, agency overhead, and the public. At today’s press conference, DFFM also announced their new AZFIRECAM project which includes seven AI wildfire detection cameras strategically placed across the state. The cameras help with early wildfire detection and provide 360-degree views with live 24-hour feeds. Once smoke is detected, the cameras provide immediate notifications to the Arizona Dispatch Center (ADC), other cooperating dispatch centers, and the agency’s operations staff. In addition, DFFM dispatchers can monitor the wildfire detection cameras from their desks. Also new this year, the Department’s recently constructed 7,000 square foot dispatch center, which incorporates the new AI technology and other innovative tools to support firefighting operations and overhead support.
“Every minute and every second counts when a wildfire breaks out,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “We are leveraging emerging technologies and staying ahead of the curve to keep people safe and mitigate the threat of wildfires, while making it easier for our first responders to do their jobs. This technology is a generational leap in how we protect our communities, and I am proud to invest in the future of public safety.”
DFFM’s State Fire Management Officer John Truett said the new wildfire detection cameras coupled with the state-of-the-art Dispatch center give the agency an operational boost when it comes to fighting fire. The cameras provide another layer of operational support for us as they enhance our intel and decision making before and after deploying resources. In turn, they can help with faster initial attack response and provide a different vantage point to observe fire behavior and movement.”
Last year’s fire season started in late April and initially set the tone for high fire activity. However, by late May and into early June, intermittent shots of cooler temperatures and precipitation kept activity at a minimum. Last year, more than 1,600 fires were reported on state, federal, and tribal lands: down 26% from 2024. However, the number of acres burned increased by 17%, primarily due to the 145,000-acre Dragon Bravo Fire.
