Highlights
- Stage 1 fire restrictions took effect Friday on State Trust Land in Gila, Maricopa and Pinal counties and across the Tonto National Forest.
- Campfires are still permitted but only in developed campsites with a pre-existing fire ring; smoking is restricted to enclosed vehicles, buildings, or developed recreation sites.
- Violations carry fines up to $5,000 and up to six months imprisonment; officials cite human-caused fires and scarce firefighting resources as the trigger.
- Residents can check all current restrictions at wildlandfire.az.gov before heading outdoors.
Stage 1 fire restrictions took effect Friday morning on State Trust Land in Gila, Maricopa and Pinal counties and across the Tonto National Forest, according to KTAR News, which was corroborated by KJZZ and 12News.
Campfires remain allowed under Stage 1 but only in a developed campsite or campground with a pre-existing fire ring, Tiffany Davila, spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, told KTAR. Smoking is restricted to inside an enclosed vehicle, a building, or a developed recreation site. Fireworks, other incendiary devices, and welding or torch work with an open flame are prohibited.
The Tonto National Forest restrictions also limit recreational shooting because fire danger is very high across the forest, with officials citing the risk of fires sparked by shooting.
Davila attributed the restrictions to an uptick in fire activity and deteriorating conditions. "Our resources are slim pickings. Our resources are scattered across the state. We're going to have extreme hot and dry conditions," she told KTAR. Firefighters are still battling the Jones Fire, which broke out in Wickenburg on Monday and destroyed eight to 10 RVs; the blaze was determined to be human-caused, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
Violators face fines up to $5,000 and imprisonment up to six months. Davila noted that restrictions can vary by land jurisdiction and urged the public to check wildlandfire.az.gov before heading out. The Tonto National Forest's supervisor office is located at 40202 North Cave Creek Rd. in Scottsdale.
Davila said talks about expanding restrictions to other parts of the state are ongoing.
Where to find them
- State Trust · dcranch.com · Instagram · Facebook
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- ktar.com retrieved 15/05/2026 18:34
- fs.usda.gov retrieved 15/05/2026 18:34
- State Trust (official site) retrieved 15/05/2026 18:34
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 15/05/2026 18:34. Every claim traces to a source.
