Fire departments from throughout the state report they are ready for this year’s wildfire season, and a bill that passed the Arizona Senate may make it easier for small departments to stay on top of the blazes.
S1607, which is awaiting action in the House, would increase the cap on the Fire Suppression Revolving Fund from $600,000 to $2 million. The money from this fund is used to reimburse fire departments statewide when they use their equipment and manpower to fight wildfires on federal property.
The federal government eventually pays the state back for the use of resources, but the Fire Suppression Revolving Fund allows for quicker reimbursements, which is important for small fire departments with small budgets.
“This fix allows me to go ahead without interruption with the bill paying and reimbursement cycle,” said Kirk Rowdabaugh, state forester.
Sen. Jake Flake, R-5, the bill’s sponsor, said the legislation is important because Arizona wildfires have been happening so often that the Fire Suppression Revolving Fund runs out of money before the state can get reimbursed from the federal government.
“We increased the fund because it just wasn’t enough,” Flake said.
Rowdabaugh said southeast Arizona has had the most wildfire activity in the last month, but wildfire season will peak in May, June and July.
Kenny Delk, a captain for the Bisbee Fire Department, said his department already has been getting calls for wildfires on the side of a local highway.
“The season is already kicking off. We’re ready to go,” Delk said. “We pretty much plan on things starting in March.”
Delk said a faster federal reimbursement process would definitely help his department. “We’re a small town with a small budget and we spend a lot of money when we fight wildfires,” Delk said. “The quicker we can get the return the quicker we can return it to our budget.”
Patricia Ackerson, assistant fire chief for the Willcox Fire Department, said her department sometimes has to wait three or four months to get reimbursed for fighting wildfires on federal land. A faster reimbursement process will be helpful, she said.
“If we can get the money back in a timely manner, we can pay the employees a lot quicker,” Ackerson said.
Ackerson said that losses in equipment during wildfires are one of the most important reasons they need the money quickly.
“When you go out there you might have a loss in tires or other equipment, so if we get paid just a little bit sooner it would help a lot,” Ackerson said.
Ackerson said most of the firefighters in her department are certified to fight wildfires, and the chief is in Prescott this week to receive his wildfire training.
“We’re as prepared as we can get, but you never know how severe the fire season is going to be,” Ackerson said.
Jake Weaver, fire chief for the Willcox Fire Department, is one of more than 500 firefighters who are training in Prescott to fight wildfires.
Debra Stanley, a check-in recorder at the Arizona Wildfire Academy, said they have been doing field training this week and “everything is going well.”
“I hear we are expecting a busy season, especially in the grassy areas of Arizona,” Stanley said. “That’s why we put this on every year.”
According to Delk, wildfire training is important because the difference between fighting a wildfire and a structural fire is like the difference between driving a car and flying a jet.
Firefighters shouldn’t be the only ones preparing for the upcoming wildfire season, Rowdabaugh said.
“This is the perfect time of year for people to get their rakes out and provide a defensible space around their properties,” Rowdabaugh said.
Failing the clear debris that can fuel fires can lead to disaster, Delk said.