Scottsdale Fire crews leaving notices of wildfire hazards for some residents

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Summer also brings a risk of wildfires to Arizona, and this year, fire crews fear it might be a bad summer.

"It’s been a wet winter. It’s gonna be a dry summer, and all these really grassy weeds are already on the ground growing," said Dave Folio with Scottsdale Fire. "It just takes one spark to get those going."

For weeks in Scottsdale, officials have been pushing wildfire safety for homeowners along the brush, and on June 5, we rode along with brush fire crews, as they used a new technique to save homes.

In 2024, the teams are using iPads to keep notes for the first time, marking down every house.

"This one is good. They’ve done a great job bringing it up 3 to 4 feet off the floor," Folio said.

Some homes have kept brush free and clear, while others get a red mark and a note.

As we went, a few homes caught the team's attention. For one home, Folio said the brush is too low, and all against the home. He wrote a note with tips and a link to find more.

This year, the fire season has started far worse than last year, and if homeowners help, some homes can be saved.

"There are times where you just write the house off, and that’s unfortunate because you just don’t have the resources to do that," said Folio. "So by doing that now, you really helps us out."

If you get a note from fire crews and don’t quite understand what they are asking for, you can give them a call.