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Red fire retardant is visible on parts of the Santa Catalina Mountains as a result of firefighting efforts against the Bighorn Fire. June 2020.

One year after Bighorn Fire, Coronado National Forest fire risk remains high

Drought conditions have worsened over the last year.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey sits for an interview with Arizona 360 in his office at the Arizona Capitol on Jan. 13, 2021.

Governor tours Arizona fires, calls for special session

Ducey wants the Legislature to approve extra money to ensure that firefighters have the resources they need
The Bighorn Fire burns in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness near Oro Valley on Saturday, June 6, 2020. The fire was caused by lightning on the evening of June 5, 2020.

How drought and constant fire are impacting Arizona

Conditions in the Southwest are getting drier, but there is some possibility for hope later this year.
A changing climate is prolonging and intensifying heat waves, scientists say, driving wildfires.

Arizona officials warn of bad 2021 wildfire season

This year's wildfire season has the potential to be devastating due to widespread drought
The Bureau of Land Management used prescribed burns across many of its properties for habitat improvement and to reduce the risk of severe wildfires.

BLM plans prescribed burn in San Pedro conservation area

The agency is planning to conduct a prescribed burn in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area sometime this month.

Wildlife and the Bighorn

A look at some of the specific wildlife species that live in the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson and how wildfire impacts their existence. (07:17)

After the Burn

In the aftermath of the Bighorn Fire, researchers see a unique opportunity to better understand how fire impacts southern Arizona's delicate sky island ecosystems. (07:07)
Between the High Park and Cameron Peak Fires, a broad reach of the Poudre River’s watershed has burned within the last decade.

For the West’s drinking water, wildfire concerns linger long after smoke clears

For municipal drinking water systems, fires are felt for years after they’re snuffed out.
Firefighters watch a controlled burn within the Grizzly Creek Fire in Colorado. The fire has burned more than 30,000 acres near Glenwood Canyon. Now, the charred hillsides pose a flood risk for nearby areas.

Homeowners who avoid wildfire damage can find themselves in new flood zone

Even long after the flames of a wildfire are gone, those who live nearby face a serious increase in the threat of flooding.
A firefighter watches the flames in Yellowstone National Park during the 1988 fires.

In Yellowstone, America's 'first water park,' decades-old blaze marked start of megafire era

The wildfires ushered in a chapter of massive, frequent blazes as well as a new understanding of the ecological process.
Fire officials say they were able to contain the spread of COVID-19 in crews through commonsense measures as well as some precautions specific to their work, even though it made their jobs more challenging at times.

Fire officials claim success in fighting COVID-19 while fighting fires

Officials reported only a handful of positive test results on their crews, and they believe many of those came from exposure off the job.
With residences in the foreground, the Bighorn Fire burns in the Santa Catalina Mountains on June 10, 2020.

Homes complicate Arizona wildfire response

Development in Arizona's wildlands is making fires more expensive, and in some cases, more difficult to prevent.
Singed trees on the road up Mount Lemmon in early October, months after the Bighorn Fire.

Bighorn Fire marks familiar cycle of renewal amid new chapter of bigger burns

Fire is a natural process, but it will take decades for some areas to recover or regrow habitat that burned this year.
Downtown Tucson, Oct, 23, 2019.

Daily news roundup: No new coronavirus deaths reported by state, impact of census strong in AZ

Recent coverage impacting Southern Arizona, July 25.
With residences in the foreground, the Bighorn Fire burns in the Santa Catalina Mountains on June 10, 2020.

Wildfires burn across Arizona

We discuss the year's fire outlook and what ecological changes result from such fires.
The Bighorn Fire burns in Pima Canyon on the night of June 10, 2020. Residents in the area were warned to be ready for an evacuation.

Sheriff's department tells some foothills residents to be ready to evacuate due to fire

Catalina Foothills residents were alerted to be aware of the progress of the Bighorn Fire, which has burned more than 3,000 acres.

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