2025 Arizona wildfires

2025 Arizona wildfires
Smoke from the Dragon Bravo Fire on July 30, seen from the Grand Canyon
Statistics[1]
Total fires291 (January 1 - April 7)
Total area5,802 acres (2,348 ha; 23.48 km2) (January 1 - April 7)
← 2024

A series of wildfires burned throughout U.S. state of Arizona during 2025.

Background

Further information: List of Arizona wildfires

Historically, while "fire season" in Arizona began in April in desert areas and May around the Mogollon Rim with peak activities near July, there is now a fire risk year-round. Arizona is drought prone, with precipitation much different between the deserts and mountains. When the snow pack on the mountain melts, the moisture can reduce the risk of wildfire events. However, climate change can raise the snow line, reduce snow pack, decrease runoff, or cause earlier snowmelt. A risk of decreasing precipitation and dry monsoons could heighten fire risks. Heavy rainfall can allow vegetation to grow, and many of these plants quickly dry out in just hours.[2]

Summary

By the end of spring (June 20), wildfires in Arizona had burned approximately 104,000 acres (42,000 ha), marking a slightly above-average start to the 2025 season. The early uptick in activity was largely attributed to wind-driven grass and brush fires across central and southern Arizona, fueled by prolonged drought conditions and unseasonably high temperatures.[3]

The first fatality of the season occurred on May 27, when a firefighter was injured during suppression efforts on the Copper Ridge Fire near Superior and later died from heat-related causes.[4]

During July, extreme heat and a series of dry thunderstorms ignited numerous large wildfires in northern and eastern Arizona. The Black Mesa Fire in Navajo County and the Santa Teresa Fire in Gila County each burned tens of thousands of acres, threatening several small communities and forcing temporary evacuations. By July 31, over 612,000 acres (248,000 ha) had burned statewide, one of the most active mid-season totals since 2020.[5]

In August, widespread monsoonal rainfall moderated fire behavior across much of central and southern Arizona. However, several lightning-induced fires persisted in remote northern areas, including the Kaibab Plateau Fire and Sitgreaves Complex, which continued burning into early September under dry post-monsoon conditions.[6]

By late September, cooler temperatures and scattered rainfall helped end most major fire activity. The 2025 Arizona wildfire season has so far burned an estimated 678,000 acres (274,000 ha) statewide—roughly 40 percent above the five-year average—causing moderate ecological impacts but relatively limited structural loss due to early detection and coordinated response efforts.[7]

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.

Name County Acres Start date Containment date[a] Notes Ref.
Horton Gila, Coconino 8,346 December 15 (2024) February 4 Fire crews conducted firing operations to hold the fire and make sure it didn't impact neighborhoods in the area. Burned in rough terrain in Tonto National Forest. [9][10]
Gap Graham 2,000 January 7 January 10 Burned in the Ash flat area. [11]
Spider Navajo 1,702 March 27 March 31 The fire caused $90,000 in damages. Burned near Whitecone and State Route 77. [12][13]
Stronghold Cochise 2,138 April 28 May 7 Burned in the Dragoon Mountains southeast of Tucson. [14][15]
Blind Coconino 6,329 May 4 May 25 Lightning-caused in Mogollon Rim ranger district. [16][17]
Bryce Graham 3,294 May 7 May 20 Human-caused. Burned about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southeast of Eden. [18][19]
Coyote Apache 1,280 May 11 May 15 Likely started by structure fire. [20][21]
Greer Apache 20,308 May 13 May 26 Unknown cause. Evacuations issued for Greer and Eagar, and portions of SR 260, SR 261, and SR 373 were closed. [22][23]
Cody Pinal 1,223 May 21 June 4 Evacuations were issued for Oracle. Destroyed five residential buildings, damaged one, and destroyed eight other structures. [24][25]
Ranch Santa Cruz 2,751 June 4 June 11 Burned about 19 miles (31 km) southeast of Patagonia. Caused by lightning and spread from windy and dry conditions. [26][27]
Basin Coconino 9,145 June 5 June 26 Lightning-caused. Burned about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Flagstaff. [28][29]
Oak Ridge Apache 11,027 June 28 July 15 Unknown cause. Burned about 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Window Rock. Evacuations for Oak Springs and Hunters Point. [30][31]
Dragon Bravo Coconino 145,504 July 4 September 29 Lightning-caused. Evacuations for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. [32][33]
White Sage Coconino 58,985 July 9 September 10 Lightning-caused. Burned 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Fredonia and 980 square miles were under an evacuation order. [34][35][36]
Billy Gila 27,574 July 9 September 15 Lightning-caused. Burned 15 miles (24 km) south of Young [37]
Cabin Coconino 1,048 July 15 August 2 Lightning-caused. Burned in Sitgreaves National Forest. [38]
Bronco Gila 18,041 August 3 September 8 Lightning-caused. Burned 30 miles (48 km) northeast of San Carlos. [39]
Indian Creek Gila 3,000 August 5 September 6 Lightning-caused. Burned 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Whiteriver. [40]
Goodwin Graham 1,059 August 6 September 7 Lightning-caused. Burned 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Bylas. [41]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Arizona State Wildfire Information". dffm.az.gov. Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  2. ^ "Arizona Fire Season: In-Depth Guide". wfca.com. Western Fire Chiefs Association. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
  3. ^ "Dry spring and high winds fuel early Arizona wildfires". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  4. ^ "Firefighter dies after collapse during Copper Ridge Fire". KOLD News 13. May 28, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  5. ^ "Arizona wildfires surpass 600,000 acres as extreme heat continues". National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  6. ^ "Monsoon storms bring relief, but lightning ignites new fires in northern Arizona". AZFamily (KTVK/KPHO). August 29, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  7. ^ "Arizona Wildfire Season 2025 summary report". U.S. Forest Service – Region 3. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  8. ^ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  9. ^ "Horton Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  10. ^ "Horton Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  11. ^ "Gap Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  12. ^ "Spider - Wildfire and Smoke Map". The Oklahoman. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  13. ^ Quintero, Donovan (March 28, 2025). "Spider Fire near Beshbetoh grows, residents urged to stay alert". Navajo Times. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  14. ^ "Stronghold Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
  15. ^ Gonzalez, Jose (May 2, 2025). "Stronghold Fire minimized by overnight weather but concerns remain for windy weekend". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  16. ^ "Blind Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  17. ^ "Coconino National Forest will manage lighting-strike fire near Clints Well; smoke expected". Arizona Daily Sun. May 13, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  18. ^ "Bryce Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  19. ^ "Bryce Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  20. ^ "Coyote Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  21. ^ "Coyote Fire possibly started by structure fire". White Mountain Independent. May 16, 2025. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  22. ^ "Greer Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  23. ^ Smetana, Wren; Stern, Ray (May 16, 2025). "What to know about the Greer Fire in eastern AZ that's consumed over 9,500 acres". USA Today. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  24. ^ "Cody Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  25. ^ "UPDATE: Cody Fire is at 90% containment". KGUN-TV. May 29, 2025. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
  26. ^ "Ranch Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  27. ^ Spector, Megan (June 5, 2025). "Ranch Fire near Patagonia burns 2,700 acres; crews work to contain". KVOA. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  28. ^ "Basin Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  29. ^ "Basin Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  30. ^ "Oak Ridge - Wildfire and Smoke map". data.stargazette.com. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  31. ^ Lohmann, Patrick (June 30, 2025). "Oak Ridge Fire burning on Navajo Nation grows to 6,300 acres". Yahoo News. Utah News Dispatch. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  32. ^ "Dragon Bravo Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  33. ^ "Dragon Bravo Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
  34. ^ "White Sage Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  35. ^ Skabelind, Adrian (July 11, 2025). "White Sage Fire evacuation area expands after rapid overnight growth". KNAU. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  36. ^ "White Sage Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  37. ^ "Billy Fire Information". InciWeb. Archived from the original on September 26, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  38. ^ "Cabin Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  39. ^ "Bronco - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.hollansentinel.com. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  40. ^ "Indian Creek - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.floridatoday.com. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
  41. ^ "Goodwin - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.dailycommercial.com. Retrieved August 10, 2025.


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