At the regular Board of Supervisors meeting on June 3, the Board voted to ratify resolution No. 2032 and approved the Interim Fire Ban Order enacted on June 1 across all of Yavapai County’s fire zones, in accordance with Yavapai County Ordinance 2012-1, Section VI and A.R.S.§11-251(63).

A.R.S.§11-251(63) grants boards of supervisors the power to “Adopt and provide for the enforcement of ordinances prohibiting open fires and campfires on designated lands in the unincorporated areas of the county when a determination of emergency is issued by the county emergency management officer and the board deems it necessary to protect public health and safety on those lands.”

“The potential for devastating fires in Yavapai County exists and this fire ban is just one of the tools we utilize to prevent or reduce the number fires in Yavapai County,” Yavapai County Board of Supervisors Chairman Craig Brown said. “There are signs posted around the county reminding people of the fire ban and you can get an exemption by calling the Yavapai County Office of Emergency Management.  It is important to remember that many of the fires we see along our roads are caused by trucks pulling trailers with chains hanging down low enough to drag on the road and cause sparks.”

This determination to institute this fire ban is based upon the implementation of fire restrictions by the following jurisdictions: Southwestern Region National Forests, Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation, which have previously imposed fire restrictions. Additionally, concerns of a trending high Energy Release Component (ERC), decreasing fuel moisture levels and multiple Red Flag days all contribute to concerns for the well-being and health of suppression personnel and the risk of large fire events.

This fire ban will stay in effect until the risk has diminished and there is agency consensus that restrictions may be lifted.