FIRE RESTRICTIONS ARE NOW IN EFFECT ALL OVER YAVAPAI COUNTY

Published on May 30, 2025

May was Wildfire Awareness Month, but every resident and visitor in Yavapai county needs to pay close attention all year long to the constant danger of wildfires and the fire restrictions designed to help prevent a disaster. Wildfires don't pay attention to any calendar. They just happen, sometimes caused by nature, sometimes caused by careless behavior by humans. 

After a relatively dry winter and spring (so far), and with warmer and drier weather predicted until the monsoons show up, YCSO is urging everyone to do several things to be "Ready" before we get to "Set" or "Go" (evacuation orders) in the event of a wildfire. #1 is to make sure you are signed up for the county Emergency Notification System (alertYAVAPAI - Everbridge) and that you KNOW YOUR ZONE in the Genasys system. If an alert is issued, it will contain the zone(s) involved. For Everbridge notifications, please text the phrase alertYAVAPAI to 888777, and enter your zip code when prompted. You can also sign up by going to the homepage of this website and under Featured Content, click on the alertYAVAPAI-Everbridge logo. For Genasys zones, go to www.protect.genasys.com, enter your address, and write down your zone and keep it handy.

NOW IN EFFECT: The Prescott National Forest has implemented Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. This includes limits on building a fire/campfire/stove fire/charcoal fire, as well as on smoking, or discharging a firearm on PNF land. Go to www.fs.usda.gov/r03/prescott for more information.

The City of Prescott (www.prescott-az.gov) and CAFMA (www.cazfire.gov) have instituted Stage 1 Fire Restrictions in their jurisdictions.

Yavapai County (unincorporated areas) has implemented Stage 1 restrictions in Zones 1 and 2 (generally covers central, northeast and eastern parts of the county, including Paulden, Chino Valley, Prescott, Prescott Valley, Dewey, Mayer, Cordes Lakes, and the Verde Valley). Yavapai County has already instituted Stage 2 restrictions in certain parts of the county (Zones 3,4 and 5). This generally covers the northwest, west, southwest, and southern areas of the county (including Seligman, Ash Fork, Yarnell/Peeples Valley/Wilhoit, Congress and north Wickenburg, along with Black Canyon City). These restrictions affect things like building of fires, smoking, use of certain tools/engines, fireworks and discharging firearms. Go to www.yavapaiready.gov for more information.

In addition, Coconino County will also implement Stage 1 Fire Restrictions May 30 and June 1 (depending on the area) as will the AZ Dept of Forestry and Fire Management for state trust land in Coconino County. DFFM also has Stage 2 restrictions in place for campfires on state trust land in Yavapai county. Go to www.dffm.az.gov for more information.

And the Tonto National Forest has Stage 2 fire restrictions in effect. Go to www.fs.usda.gov/r03/tonto for more information.

Please monitor our main Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Facebook page for updated information, since restriction orders can change at any time. 

For decades Smoky the Bear has been famous for the slogan, "Only you can prevent forest fires". It still holds true today for any type of wildfire. Each citizen must do all they can to be "firewise", and this includes creating defensible space on their property. Yavapai County has extended the deadline for FREE non-commercial dropoff of brush/branches/clippings until June 15th at various transfer stations around the county. Call the county's Public Works Dept at (928)771-3183 for more information. 

Let's all stay safe during this peak wildfire season.