As wildfires devastate the Los Angeles region, leaving thousands of structures destroyed and countless lives altered, Arizonans must confront an uncomfortable truth: we could face a similar catastrophe, and our risk increases yearly.

The threat isn’t limited to remote wilderness. Across Arizona, communities have expanded into wildland-urban interfaces (WUIs)—areas where residential development meets natural landscapes. These regions, including Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Goodyear, and Cave Creek, contain dense vegetation that becomes dangerous fuel during prolonged droughts and extreme heat. Population growth and strong winds further complicate both prevention and emergency response efforts.

Despite these escalating risks, Arizona remains dangerously unprepared for a large-scale wildfire. Our emergency response capabilities fall far short of national standards. While fire services should respond within four minutes 90% of the time, Phoenix’s average response time is more than nine minutes – double that benchmark—an unacceptable delay when seconds can mean the difference between life and death. Rural areas, where fire districts have been plagued for years by underfunding and understaffing, often face far longer delays, with response times to emergency often in excess of an hour or more.

The state’s chronic underinvestment in fire services reached a critical juncture in 2022 when voters rejected Proposition 310, a sales tax proposal meant to create stable funding for fire districts. This defeat left more than 140 fire districts statewide struggling to maintain basic services. The consequences have been severe: station closures, worsening personnel shortages, and compromised emergency response capabilities. This crisis affects everyone—when districts can’t respond, neighboring municipalities must step in, straining the entire emergency response system.

Our political leadership has long acknowledged these challenges but has failed to implement meaningful solutions. As a career firefighter and the President of the state fire fighters association, which represents more than 8,000 first responders, I’ve repeatedly joined other fire service representatives in urging the legislature to address these systemic funding shortfalls. Their inaction leaves Arizona communities increasingly vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires.

Recent events highlight these dangers. The 2020 East Desert and Ocotillo fires nearly devastated Cave Creek, and only coordinated efforts from multiple departments prevented widespread destruction. Since then, Arizona’s population growth has increased demand for emergency services, while resources remain stagnant. A similar event today could prove catastrophic.

The threats we face aren’t theoretical. Arizona’s history includes the devastating Rodeo-Chediski Fire of 2002, which consumed nearly half a million acres, and the tragic Yarnell Hill Fire of 2013, which claimed the lives of 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots crew. These events demonstrate the terrible cost of inadequate resources and preparation.

To protect our communities, Arizona must prioritize investment in fire service infrastructure. This means reconsidering the objectives of Prop 310 and exploring new funding models that can sustain both fire districts and municipal departments. Public safety cannot be treated as a discretionary expense or a budget item to be minimized. The cost of inaction isn’t just economic—it’s measured in lives disrupted or lost.

As firefighters, we’re problem solvers, responding to every call for help despite personal risk. Arizona’s political leaders must now demonstrate similar dedication to protecting public safety. We’ve spent years discussing these challenges; now we need action. Without immediate steps to strengthen our fire services, Arizona remains unnecessarily vulnerable to a catastrophic wildfire that could mirror or exceed the devastation we’re witnessing in California.

The time for studies, committees, and deliberation has passed. Arizona needs immediate, concrete action to protect its communities from the growing wildfire threat. Our state’s safety depends on it.

A Goodyear fire fighter since 2007, Dan Freiberg is the President of the 8,000-member Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona.