A ban on campfires on our public lands has been in place since April, but illegal campfires continue to be a problem. Forest officials have been dealing with an abundance of abandoned campfires each weekend; some have even escaped their fire rings and have started wildfires. Coconino National Forest had 58-illegal campfires last weekend and 6-wildfires. Kaibab National Forest reported 10-illegal campfires, 5 of which were abandoned and Prescott National Forest had 27. People that live in and near these forests are encouraged to report illegal campfires if they see them. Forest officials say the public can call 911 to report the fires or call the forest service. There is zero tolerance for illegal campfires and citations are being issued.
