2023 Arizona wildfires

2023 Arizona wildfires
Aerial view of the Spoon Fire on July 28
Statistics[1]
Total fires1,837
Total area188,483 acres (76,276 ha)
Impacts
Cost$9,597,838 (2023 USD) (suppression efforts)[1]
← 2022
2024 →

A series of wildfires burned throughout the U.S. state of Arizona in 2023.

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]

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.

Name County Acres Start date Containment date[a] Notes Ref
Volunteer Coconino2,675May 232023[4]
Bullet Maricopa3,240June 4June 2023[5]
Ridge Coconino10,210June 4August 22[6]
Diamond Maricopa1,960June 272023[7]
Beehive Santa Cruz10,745June 302023[8]
Pilot Yavapai and Mohave34,810July 1
August 3
Human caused.[9]
Campbell Greenlee1,416July 102023[10]
Adams Robles Complex Fire Cochise5,232July 19July 2023[11]
Guzzler Coconino1,542July 192023Lightning-caused. Burned about 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Heber-Overgaard in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.[12][13]
Grapevine Yavapai1,049July 21
August 9
[14]
Diamond Maricopa1,960July 22
July 2023
[15]
Round Hill Pima3,000July 222023
Eskiminzin Pinal1,113July 232023
Gallineta Pima1,601July 232023
Spoon Gila4,560July 242023Lightning-caused. Burned 26 miles (42 km) west of Whiteriver.[16]
Gold Hill Coconino6,239July 272023Naturally-caused. Burned 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Cameron.[17][18]
Valentine Gila7,724August 16December 1Lightning-caused. Burned 11 miles (18 km) of Young. Suppression efforts cost $10 million.[19][20][21]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "2023 Annual Wildland Fire Report" (PDF). dffm.az.gov. Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Arizona Fire Season: In-Depth Guide". wfca.com. Western Fire Chiefs Association. June 13, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  3. ↑ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Volunteer Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Bullet Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Ridge Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Diamond Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Beehive Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Pilot Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Campbell Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Adams Robles Complex Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Guzzler Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Guzzler Fire continues to burn in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest". Navajo-Hopi Observer. July 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  14. ↑ "2023 Grapevine Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Diamond Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Spoon Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Gold Hill". USA Today. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Gold Hill - Wildfire and Smoke Map". datacentral.desmoinesregister.com. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Valentine Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Monday, September 18, 2023 Valentine Fire Update and Map". InciWeb. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  21. ↑ Scaggs, John (May 20, 2024). "Valentine Fire restores forest and community". fs.usda.gov. United States Forest Service. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
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