| 2020 Arizona wildfires | |
| Cost: | unknown |
| Total Fires: | 2,520 |
| Total Area: | 978519acres |
| Injuries: | 0 |
| Fatalities: | 1 indirect |
| Is Season: | yes |
| Year: | 2020 |
| Season Name: | Arizona wildfires |
The 2020 Arizona wildfire season was a series of wildfires that burned across the state of Arizona. The season is a part of the 2020 Western United States wildfire season. With 2,520 fires burning 978519acres of land, it was the largest wildfire season in Arizona since 2011.[1] [2] Wildfires occur year-round in the state but are most numerous and typically burn the largest swaths of land during spring and summer. Peak fire season in the Southwest typically runs from May, when conditions are windy, hot, and dry, through mid-July, when the North American Monsoon provides the region with precipitation to slow fire activity.[3]
By the end of the year, more than fifty fires larger than 1000acres had burned within the state. However, the most notable fire of the season, the Ocotillo Fire, burned only 980acres over four days and threatened the town of Cave Creek. It destroyed 20 buildings, including 8 homes.
In April, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management expected a "potentially active" fire season reminiscent of the 2019 season. Increased grass load from a wet winter is expected to contribute to an elevated risk of fire in the Central Arizona deserts.[4] Southwest Coordination Center Predictive Services forecasted an Above Normal risk for significant wildland fires from May through July for most of Arizona (excepting the Colorado Plateau), with fire potential returning to Normal by August with the arrival of a climatologically average monsoon. They cited above normal fine fuel loading in southern Arizona deserts and an active weather pattern through mid-June to support this risk.[5] A fire department helicopter crashed while bringing supplies to firefighters, killing the pilot.[6]
The following is a list of fires that burned more than, or produced significant structural damage or casualties.
| Name | County | Acres | Start date | Containment date | Notes | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basin | Mohave | 38,804 | May 10 | May 21 | Lightning-caused | [7] [8] | |
| East Desert | Maricopa | 1,492 | May 17 | May 22 | Human-caused | [9] | |
| Jackrabbit | Maricopa | 2,034 | May 25 | May 26 | Human-caused | [10] | |
| Range | Pinal | 3,286 | May 29 | June 1 | Cause unknown | [11] | |
| Ocotillo | Maricopa | 980 | May 30 | June 2 | Human-caused; 20 buildings destroyed in Cave Creek | [12] | |
| Sawtooth | Pinal | 24,729 | May 30 | June 19 | Lightning-caused | [13] | |
| Sunset | Yavapai | 3,964 | May 31 | June 1 | Human-caused; Forced closure of I-17 in both directions on May 31 | [14] | |
| Tortolita | Pinal | 3,321 | June 5 | June 11 | Lightning-caused | [15] | |
| Bighorn | Pima | 119,987 | June 5 | July 23 | Lightning-caused; around 80 homes in Catalina were forced to evacuate on June 12 Summerhaven and surrounding areas on Mt. Lemmon were given evacuation notice on June 16. The Willow Canyon region of Mt. Lemmon and some parts of Oracle were told to evacuate on June 18 Further evacuations were announced for the eastern slopes of the Santa Catalinas on June 26 | [16] [17] | |
| Blue River | Gila | 30,408 | June 5 | June 25 | Lightning-caused | [18] | |
| Emigrant | Cochise | 4,756 | June 6 | June 14 | Lightning-caused | [19] | |
| Dry Lake | Graham | 4,369 | June 6 | June 24 | Lightning-caused | [20] | |
| Bringham | Greenlee | 23,142 | June 6 | July 29 | Lightning-caused; 36-mile closure of US 191 2 structures destroyed | [21] | |
| Mangum | Coconino | 71,450 | June 8 | July 27 | Closure of US 89A and SR 67, making the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park inaccessible Evacuations were issued for areas along House Rock Road east of Jacob Lake on June 17 4 structures destroyed | [22] | |
| Bush | Maricopa | 193,455 | June 13 | July 6 | Human-caused; Evacuations issued for: Tonto Basin, Punkin Center (June 14), Sunflower, Apache Lake (June 16) Brownsville, Jake's Corner, Slate Creek, and Pioneer Pass (June 18) Gila County evacuation orders were lifted on June 20 | [23] | |
| Central | Maricopa | 4,499 | June 20 | June 30 | Human-caused | [24] [25] | |
| Aquila | Maricopa | 893 | June 23 | June 26 | Human-caused; 6 structures destroyed | [26] [27] | |
| Painted Wagon | Maricopa | 490 | June 25 | June 27 | human-caused; 5 structures destroyed | [28] | |
| Wood Springs 2 | Apache | 12,861 | June 27 | July 11 | Lightning-caused; 7 structures destroyed in Navajo Nation | [29] | |
| Boulders | Pinal | 1,011 | June 30 | July 4 | [30] | ||
| Polles | Gila | 628 | July 3 | July 23 | Lightning-caused; A helicopter supporting firefighting efforts crashed on July 7, taking the life of pilot Bryan Boatman. The incident is under investigation. | [31] [32] | |
| Monument | Coconino | 1,785 | July 5 | July 30 | Lightning-caused | [33] | |
| Buren | Maricopa | 2,800 | July 11 | July 14 | Human-caused | [34] | |
| Navarro | Pima | 2,306 | July 11 | July 14 | Lightning-caused | [35] | |
| Jackson | Graham | 2,946 | July 11 | July 22 | Lightning-caused | [36] | |
| Blue River 2 | Gila | 28,051 | July 13 | July 27 | Lightning-caused | [37] | |
| Valley | Graham | 29,639 | July 13 | July 18 | Lightningt-caused; 2 structures destroyed | [38] | |
| Pine | Yavapai | 2,184 | July 14 | August 13 | Lightning-caused | [39] | |
| Thumb | Coconino | 8,354 | July 16 | July 26 | Lightning-caused | [40] | |
| Pine Hollow | Coconino | 11,405 | July 29 | August 6 | Lightning-caused | [41] | |
| Cassadore Springs | Gila | 21,482 | August 1 | August 19 | Lightning-caused, 1 structure destroyed Kean Fire merged into the Cassadore Springs Fire on August 3 | ||
| Bumble Bee | Yavapai | 2,993 | August 7 | August 12 | Human-caused | [42] | |
| Goldfield | Maricopa | 1,970 | August 10 | August 12 | Human-caused | ||
| Klaus | Cochise | 4,864 | August 10 | August 24 | Lightning-caused | [43] [44] | |
| Wood Canyon | Cochise | 2,320 | August 12 | August 17 | Lightning-caused | ||
| Quail | Gila | 2,064 | August 15 | August 19 | Lightning-caused | ||
| Ridge | Mohave | 3,079 | August 16 | September 2 | Lightning-caused | [45] | |
| High Creek | Graham | 1,642 | August 16 | August 20 | Lightning-caused | ||
| Griffin | Gila | 61,821 | August 17 | September 6 | Lightning-caused; Gin Fire merged with the Griffin Fire on August 21 | [46] [47] | |
| Salt | Gila | 21,670 | August 17 | September 6 | Lightning-caused | [48] | |
| Rolls | Maricopa | 1,350 | August 18 | August 24 | Lightning-caused | [49] | |
| Lofer | Apache | 1,256 | August 18 | September 22 | Lightning-caused | [50] | |
| Black Canyon | Mohave | 7,897 | August 18 | September 5 | Lightning-caused | ||
| Constellation | Yavapai | 12,252 | August 20 | August 28 | Lightning-caused | [51] | |
| Superstition | Pinal | 9,539 | August 20 | September 24 | Lightning-caused | [52] | |
| Rockhouse | Gila | 19,506 | August 21 | September 15 | Lightning-caused | [53] | |
| Medicine | Gila | 8,930 | August 22 | September 9 | Lightning-caused; 1 structure destroyed | [54] | |
| Bozarth | Yavapai | 5,000 | August 24 | September 15 | Lightning-caused | [55] | |
| Meddler | Gila | 4,452 | August 24 | August 30 | Lightning-caused | [56] | |
| Pilot Knob | Yavapai | 11,000 | August 24 | August 31 | Lightning-caused | [57] | |
| Hidden | Gila | 6,106 | August 25 | September 15 | Lightning-caused | [58] | |
| Juniper | Graham | 2,867 | August 27 | September 1 | Lightning-caused | [59] | |
| Bolt | Maricopa | 1,420 | August 28 | September 4 | Lightning-caused | [60] | |
| Light | Graham | 937 | August 28 | September 10 | Human-caused; 3 structures destroyed | ||
| Cow Canyon | Greenlee | 35,371 | September 3 | November 27 | Lightning-caused | ||
| Sears | Maricopa | 14,476 | September 25 | October 11 | Cause unknown; 13 structures destroyed | ||
| Espinosa | Pima | 1,834 | October 5 | October 16 | Human-caused | ||
| Encinos | Pima | 14,905 | October 6 | October 24 | Human-caused | ||
| Horse | Yavapai | 9,537 | October 15 | October 31 | Human-caused | ||
| Habanero | Pinal | 3,128 | October 21 | October 24 | Human-caused | ||
| Trail | Yavapai | 1,674 | October 24 | November 2 | Human-caused | ||
| Three Hills | Pima | 1,350 | October 27 | October 30 | Human-caused | ||
| Round Valley | Cochise | 1,587 | October 31 | November 5 | Human-caused |