2024 Arizona wildfires

The 2024 Arizona wildfires were a series of wildfires that burned throughout the state of Arizona during the calendar year 2024.

2024 Arizona wildfires
The Wildcat Fire, which burned in the Tonto National Forest
Statistics[1]
Total fires	2,162
Total area	≥280,000 acres (110,000 ha)
Season
← 2023 2025 →

Background

Further information: List of Arizona wildfires

Historically, while peak fire times were from June to July before monsoon season, wildfires now occur at any time of year. Wildfire conditions are influenced by heavy drought and dryness in the state, but snowmelt in the mountains leads to vegetation growth. With decreasing precipitation in spring, fires tend to start earlier. Monsoons affect fire conditions, with above-average monsoons hindering fires and below-average allowing them to spread. Dryness common in Arizona quickly dries out vegetation, allowing dangerous fire conditions.^[2]

Summary

In the winter from 2023-24, above-average precipitation lead to vegetation growth, especially in Maricopa and Pinal counties, providing fuel for the fires. This contributed to a 54% increase in wildfires in Pinal County from last year. Above-average spring temperatures led to an early start to wildfires in Central and Southern Arizona, but snowpack in the northern portion of the state held off fires. A late, below-average monsoon and warm, dry conditions continued into fall and winter months, allowing fires to last late into the year. September and October were some of the hottest months in Arizona. Prolonged warm and dry conditions that lasted into December contributed to the Horton Fire.^[3]

The dry vegetation was influenced by a drought that had come from previous years. The number of fires and acreage had increased since previous years, including a 15% increase of wildfires since 2023.^[3]

List of wildfires

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

Name	County	Acres	Start date	Containment date[a]	Notes	Ref
Rock	Gila	4,306	April 11			[5]
Wolf	Coconino	9,896	April 29	May 23		[6][7][8]
Flying Bucket	Maricopa	2,795	May 6	May 12		[9]
Toyo	Gila, Graham	1,778	May 10	May 24		[10]
Wildcat	Maricopa	14,402	May 18	June 3		[11]
Rocky	Graham	1,597	May 23	May 27		[12]
Refuge	Yuma, La Paz	1,041	May 26	July 10	While not fully contained, local fire crews have allowed the fire to smolder for the coming weeks.	[13]
Spring	Maricopa	4,097	June 1	June 5		[14]
Adams	Maricopa	5,029	June 2	June 10		[15]
Top	Gila	3,292	June 9	June 18		[16]
Foote	Greenlee	4,558	June 14	September 3		[17]
Sayer	Coconino	1,049	June 16	June 23		[18]
Boulder View	Maricopa	3,711	June 27	July 16	Human-caused (estimated cause) Most people within the range of 2–3 miles had to evacuate. Multiple emergency alerts were sent out (approx: 7+) (more accurate confirmed: 5+) during the first few weeks of the active fire.	[19]
Lockett	Coconino	2,782	June 29	July 10	Lightning-caused	[20][21]
Buckhorn	Graham	1,006	July 10	August 10		[22]
Watch	Gila, Graham	2,162	July 10	July 17	Destroyed 21 buildings and 13 other structures, caused by suspected arson	[23]
Freeman	Pinal	32,568	July 11	July 18		[24]
Rabbit	Coconino	3,016	July 17	July 26		[25]
Adessa	Pinal	1,424	July 24	July 31		[26]
Sand Stone	Maricopa	27,390	July 25	August 22		[27]
Waterman	Yavapai	3,059	July 25	July 31		[28]
Summit	Graham	5,905	July 27	August 2		[29]
Brushy	Graham	8,284	July 27	August 3		[30]
Skeleton	Yavapai	24,034	August 3	August 24		[31]
Clair	Maricopa	2,170	August 4	August 22		[32]
Bartlett	Maricopa	6,161	August 4	August 22		[33]
Sheep	Gila	2,483	August 6	August 22		[34]
Element	Mohave	5,364	August 6	August 19		[35]
Preacher	Gila	3,167	August 28	September 23		[36]
Black Mesa 2	Yavapai	2,605	August 31	September 8		[37]
Long Gulch	Yavapai	1,227	August 31	September 23		[38]
West	Gila	15,074	September 1			[39]
Wood	Pinal	7,211	September 1	September 13		[40]
Siphon	Pinal	15,527	September 10	September 27		[41]
Point	Maricopa	5,154	September 10	September 29		[42]
Brigade	Coconino	1,812	September 21	October 9		[43]
Flood	Pinal	4,400	October 9	October 16		[44]
Vein	Pima, Santa Cruz	1,291	October 12	October 14		[45]
Horton	Gila, Coconino	8,346	December 15	February 4, 2025		[46]

Perimeters of 2024 Arizona wildfires (map data)

See also

• 2024 United States wildfires
• 2024 California wildfires
• 2024 Colorado wildfires
• 2024 Florida wildfires
• 2024 Idaho wildfires
• 2024 Montana wildfires
• 2024 Nevada wildfires
• 2024 New Mexico wildfires
• 2024 Northeastern United States wildfires
• 2024 Oklahoma wildfires
• 2024 Oregon wildfires
• 2024 Texas wildfires
  • Smokehouse Creek Fire
• 2024 Utah wildfires
• 2024 Virginia wildfires
• 2024 Washington wildfires
• 2024 Wyoming wildfires

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.^[4]