2020 Arizona wildfires


With 2,520 fires burning of land, the 2020 wildfire season was the largest wildfire season in the US state of 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.
By the end of the year, more than fifty fires larger than had burned within the state. However, the most notable fire of the season, the Ocotillo Fire, burned only over four days and threatened the town of Cave Creek. It destroyed 20 buildings, including 8 homes.

Background

Historically, while "fire season" in Arizona began in April in desert areas and May around the Mogollon Rim with peak activities near July, there is now a fire risk year-round. Arizona is drought prone, with precipitation much different between the deserts and mountains. When the snow pack on the mountain melts, the moisture can reduce the risk of wildfire events. However, climate change can raise the snow line, reduce snow pack, decrease runoff, or cause earlier snowmelt. A risk of decreasing precipitation and dry monsoons could heighten fire risks. Heavy rainfall can allow vegetation to grow, and many of these plants quickly dry out in just hours.

Early outlook

In April, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management expected a "potentially active" fire season reminiscent of the 2019 season. Increased grass load from a wet winter is expected to contribute to an elevated risk of fire in the Central Arizona deserts. Southwest Coordination Center Predictive Services forecasted an Above Normal risk for significant wildland fires from May through July for most of Arizona, with fire potential returning to Normal by August with the arrival of a climatologically average monsoon. They cited above normal fine fuel loading in southern Arizona deserts and an active weather pattern through mid-June to support this risk. A fire department helicopter crashed while bringing supplies to firefighters, killing the pilot.

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than, or produced significant structural damage or casualties.
NameCountyAcresStart dateContainment dateNotesRef
BasinMohave38,804May 10May 21Lightning-caused
East DesertMaricopa1,492May 17May 22Human-caused
JackrabbitMaricopa2,034May 25May 26Human-caused
RangePinal3,286May 29June 1Cause unknown
OcotilloMaricopa980May 30June 2Human-caused; 20 buildings destroyed in Cave Creek
SawtoothPinal24,729May 30June 19Lightning-caused
SunsetYavapai3,964May 31June 1Human-caused; Forced closure of I-17 in both directions on May 31
TortolitaPinal3,321June 5June 11Lightning-caused
BighornPima119,987June 5July 23Lightning-caused; around 80 homes in Catalina were forced to evacuate on June 12
Summerhaven and surrounding areas on Mt. Lemmon were given evacuation notice on June 16.
The Willow Canyon region of Mt. Lemmon and some parts of Oracle were told to evacuate on June 18
Further evacuations were announced for the eastern slopes of the Santa Catalinas on June 26
Blue RiverGila30,408June 5June 25Lightning-caused
EmigrantCochise4,756June 6June 14Lightning-caused
Dry LakeGraham4,369June 6June 24Lightning-caused
BringhamGreenlee23,142June 6July 29Lightning-caused; 36-mile closure of US 191
2 structures destroyed
MangumCoconino71,450June 8July 27Closure of US 89A and SR 67, making the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park inaccessible
Evacuations were issued for areas along House Rock Road east of Jacob Lake on June 17
4 structures destroyed
BushMaricopa193,455June 13July 6Human-caused; Evacuations issued for: Tonto Basin, Punkin Center,
Sunflower, Apache Lake
Brownsville, Jake's Corner, Slate Creek, and Pioneer Pass
Gila County evacuation orders were lifted on June 20
CentralMaricopa4,499June 20June 30Human-caused
AquilaMaricopa893June 23June 26Human-caused; 6 structures destroyed
Painted WagonMaricopa490June 25June 27human-caused; 5 structures destroyed
Wood Springs 2Apache12,861June 27July 11Lightning-caused; 7 structures destroyed on the Navajo Nation
BouldersPinal1,011June 30July 4
PollesGila628July 3July 23Lightning-caused; A helicopter supporting firefighting efforts crashed on July 7, taking the life of pilot Bryan Boatman.
The incident is under investigation.
MonumentCoconino1,785July 5July 30Lightning-caused
BurenMaricopa2,800July 11July 14Human-caused
NavarroPima2,306July 11July 14Lightning-caused
JacksonGraham2,946July 11July 22Lightning-caused
Blue River 2Gila28,051July 13July 27Lightning-caused
ValleyGraham29,639July 13July 18Lightningt-caused; 2 structures destroyed
PineYavapai2,184July 14August 13Lightning-caused
ThumbCoconino8,354July 16July 26Lightning-caused
Pine HollowCoconino11,405July 29August 6Lightning-caused
Cassadore SpringsGila21,482August 1August 19Lightning-caused, 1 structure destroyed
Kean Fire merged into the Cassadore Springs Fire on August 3
Bumble BeeYavapai2,993August 7August 12Human-caused
GoldfieldMaricopa1,970August 10August 12Human-caused
KlausCochise4,864August 10August 24Lightning-caused
Wood CanyonCochise2,320August 12August 17Lightning-caused
QuailGila2,064August 15August 19Lightning-caused
RidgeMohave3,079August 16September 2Lightning-caused
High CreekGraham1,642August 16August 20Lightning-caused
GriffinGila61,821August 17September 6Lightning-caused; Gin Fire merged with the Griffin Fire on August 21
SaltGila21,670August 17September 6Lightning-caused
RollsMaricopa1,350August 18August 24Lightning-caused
LoferApache1,256August 18September 22Lightning-caused
Black CanyonMohave7,897August 18September 5Lightning-caused
ConstellationYavapai12,252August 20August 28Lightning-caused
SuperstitionPinal9,539August 20September 24Lightning-caused
RockhouseGila19,506August 21September 15Lightning-caused
MedicineGila8,930August 22September 9Lightning-caused; 1 structure destroyed
BozarthYavapai5,000August 24September 15Lightning-caused
MeddlerGila4,452August 24August 30Lightning-caused
Pilot KnobYavapai11,000August 24August 31Lightning-caused
HiddenGila6,106August 25September 15Lightning-caused
JuniperGraham2,867August 27September 1Lightning-caused
BoltMaricopa1,420August 28September 4Lightning-caused
LightGraham937August 28September 10Human-caused; 3 structures destroyed
Cow CanyonGreenlee35,371September 3November 27Lightning-caused
SearsMaricopa14,476September 25October 11Cause unknown; 13 structures destroyed
EspinosaPima1,834October 5October 16Human-caused
EncinosPima14,905October 6October 24Human-caused
HorseYavapai9,537October 15October 31Human-caused
HabaneroPinal3,128October 21October 24Human-caused
TrailYavapai1,674October 24November 2Human-caused
Three HillsPima1,350October 27October 30Human-caused
Round ValleyCochise1,587October 31November 5Human-caused