Arizona is facing a fire crisis.
As fire crews battle the Pipeline Fire, Haywire Fire, and other wildfires across the state, other agencies are taking preemptive steps to defend against these devastating wildfires.
Salt River Project (SRP) is joining the U.S. Forest Service, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, and the Town of Payson in strategic forest thinning efforts across the East Clear Creek watershed.
Arizona's forests are increasingly at risk of serving as critical firesheds as the state continues to face severe drought conditions. Those large, forested landscapes could put communities and infrastructure in the path of a wildfire.
"The goal of this project is to reduce hazardous fuel loads, which will prevent high-intensity fires from coming in and destroying the infrastructure," said Shana Fitzpatrick, Timber Staff Officers with the Coconino National Forest.