Department of Forestry and Fire Management addresses recent Wickenburg-Wittmann fires
PHOENIX (FOX 10) - Unfortunately, April was a busy month for brush fires in the Wickenburg and Wittmann area. This may have some folks confused because the area is not known for easily catching fire.
"Within one month in April we had multiple fires in the Wickenburg /Wittmann areas," said Tiffany Davila with the Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
For an area that's not historically known for much fire activity, this news may seem alarming, however, Tiffany Davila from the Department of Forestry and Fire Management, says a combination of factors has allowed these fires to take place.
"Mostly just due to the recent moisture that we've has in that area and across the state, we're now seeing an influx of fine fuels in that area where they don't really have that type of veg all of the time so those homeowners and residents in that area aren't used to that so they're going about their daily activities and doing something they may have done one or two years ago that's now causing a fire," explained Davila.
The department sent a fire behavior analyst to the areas affected and found that all three were caused by a combination of humans and a-typical vegetation.
"The Painted Wagon started from a debris burn, the forest fire was a BBQ, and the Patton Fire was from welding," said Davila.
Aside from asking residents to take precautions, the team will also have a presence in the area evaluated on a week-to-week basis.
"We're going to have a patrol out in that area, we have our engine patrolling on 12-hour shifts kind of just to make sure that people are being safe," says Davila.
And because of all the fires have been on the weekends, Tiffany adding, if another fire were to spark in that area, the engine would already be close by ready to help.
"Just to have an engine out there to be proactive, show our presence in the area, and just drive around and talk to people and kind of let them know what's going on in that area," said Davila.