Wildfires continue to burn in Arizona despite monsoon moisture

Arizona in need of monsoon rain due to wildfires

PHOENIX - 23 large fires are burning in Arizona due to a dry season, and while areas are receiving rain, Fire Behavior Analyst Daniel Pearson says it may not be enough.

"Live fuels and dead fuels have all suffered, everything is extremely dry," said Pearson, who is with the Type 1 Incident Management Team.

Pearson says having a wet and dry season is the best of both worlds.

"The cumulative impact of having a wet season and then a dry season right after is you end up with a lot more fuel that's all available at the same time. Fires tend to ignite faster, move quicker, and have higher flame links. They're very difficult to control," said Pearson.

Pearson says although there is rain in the forecast it may not be enough to provide relief.

"If we receive a lot of rain in a short period of time. So if we get one to two inches of rain in a couple of hours, the forest fuels and floor don't have time to absorb it, it all runs off without affecting the feels very much. Their surface gets wet but it doesn't change their moisture content.

Extended wildfire coverage: https://www.fox10phoenix.com/tag/weather/wildfires