This is a list of known wildfires in Arizona.

Background 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.

Statistics + Wildland Prescribed Year Fires Acres Fires Acres 2002 3,041 700,101 1,201 95,576 2003 2,876 192,538 450 111,460 2004 2,602 219,900 657 66,199 2005 4,027 975,456 452 111,452 2006 3,274 177,427 1,576 75,325 2007 2,240 101,381 363 98,593 2008 1,850 85,496 413 132,951 2009 2,371 263,358 2,097 147,531 2010 1,517 74,445 203 67,799 2011 1,969 1,036,935 160 55,069 2012 1,684 216,090 243 80,959 2013 1,756 105,281 134 49,49120141,543205,19913364,90520151,662160,15222496,97320162,228308,245217102,02520172,321429,564190133,878 + HumanLightningTotal Year Fires Acres Fires Acres Fires Acres20181,36486,43463678,9222,000165,35620191,463178,815406206,1271,869384,94220202,073353,797451624,7712,524978,56820211,267337,276506187,1531,773524,428

Notable fires Year Fire name Description Cause Vegetation County Area Structures lost Deaths Injuries 1977 Radio Fire Scorched the peak of Mount Elden in Flagstaff Human Ponderosa pine / mixed conifer / grassland Coconino 4,600 ac7.2 sq.mi.1,862 ha 0 0 0 1977 Carr Canyon Fire Scorched the peak of Carr Peak, Miller Peak in Sierra Vista Human Ponderosa pine / mixed conifer / brush / grassland Cochise 4,000 ac6.2 sq.mi.1,200 ha 0 0 0 1990 Dude Fire Large fire on the Mogollon Rim that burned for 10 days. On June 25, six firefighters were killed in a burn over, including the first female wildland firefighter killed in Arizona. It was Arizona's worst forest fire in history at the time. Lightning Ponderosa pine / pine-oak woodland Coconino 28,000 ac44 sq.mi.11,331 ha 63 6 0 1994 Rattlesnake Fire Scorched the peak of Chiricahua Peak in Douglas Lightning Ponderosa pine / mixed conifer / grassland Cochise 25,000 ac30+ sq.mi.3,000 ± ha 0 0 0 1995 Rio Fire Fast-moving brush fire blackened 36 square miles of desert landscape, including a large part of McDowell Mountain Regional Park and sections of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Lightning Desert Maricopa 23,000 ac36 sq.mi.9,308 ha 0 0 0 1996 Lone Fire Largest fire in the history of the Tonto National Forest burned in the Four Peaks Wilderness. The state's largest fire in 25 years. Human Desert / brush / mixed oak, pine Maricopa 61,300 ac96 sq.mi.24,800 ha 0 0 0 1996 May Horseshoe Fire Fire originated on Horseshoe Hill and spread NE. Human Ponderosa pine / grassland Coconino 8,100 ac13.7 sq.mi.3,280 ha 0 0 0 1996 June Hochderffer Fire Fire originated at Hochderffer Hills (about 14 miles NNW of Flagstaff) and spread NE. Lightning Ponderosa pine / mixed conifer / grassland Coconino 16,680 ac 25 sq.mi.

6,520 ha 0 0 0 2000 May Pumpkin Fire Burned large portion of 10,423' (3177m) elevation Kendrick Peak Lightning Ponderosa pine / mixed conifer Coconino 14,760 ac 23 sq.mi.

5,970 ha 0 0 0 2002 Rodeo–Chediski Fire The Rodeo fire was intentionally started on June 18 by a seasonal firefighter looking for employment; the Chediski fire was accidentally started on June 20 by a stranded driver trying to attract a news helicopter. Burning areas joined on June 23, having collectively consumed around 300,000 acres. Largest fire in Arizona history at that time. Human Ponderosa pine, oak / juniper-pinyon Coconino / Gila / Navajo 468,638 ac 732 sq.mi.

189,651 ha 426 0 0 2003 Aspen Fire Fire on Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains burned through the town of Summerhaven, destroying 325 of 340 structures. Human Aspen / pine-oak / conifer Pima / Pinal 84,750 ac 132 sq.mi.

34,297 ha 325+ 0 0 2004 Willow Fire Large fire southwest of Payson in the Mazatzal Wilderness Lightning Desert shrub / chaparral Gila 119,500 ac 187 sq.mi.

48,360 ha 0 0 0 2004 Nuttall/Gibson Complex Fire Scorched the peak of Mount Graham in Safford Lightning Ponderosa pine / mixed conifer / spruce Graham 30,000+- ac 40+ sq.mi.

5,000+ ha 0 0 0 2005 Cave Creek Complex Fire Two lightning-caused fires merged to create the third largest wildfire in Arizona history (at that time). Destroyed the historic Cave Creek Mistress Mine, and likely led to the death of the largest-recorded saguaro cactus. Lightning Desert grass / chaparral / mixed conifer Maricopa / Yavapai 243,950 ac 381 sq.mi.

98,723 ha 11+ 0 0 2005 Florida Fire Lightning-caused fire that spread throughout the Santa Rita Mountains within the Coronado National Forest. Destroyed the upper Florida Canyon watershed with its old-growth Douglas fir forest. Lightning Oak woodland / mixed conifer Santa Cruz 23,183 ac 36 sq.mi.

9,382 ha 0 0 0 2006 Brins Mesa Fire Wildfire (reportedly started by campers) that began on June 18, 2006, about one mile north of Sedona. Burned on Brins Mesa, Wilson Mountain and Oak Creek Canyon. Human Ponderosa pine-oak / juniper-pinyon Yavapai /Coconino 4,317 ac 0 0 0 2010 June Schultz Fire Burned large portion of 10,085' (3074m) elevation Schultz Peak and southeastern slopes of San Francisco Mountain. Extensive debris flows and flooding ensued, affecting downslope residential areas beginning July 2010, and resulting in one fatality. Human Ponderosa pine / mixed conifer Coconino 15,075 ac 23.5 sq.mi.

6,100 ha 0 1 0 2011 Horseshoe 2 Fire Fifth largest fire in Arizona History burned the southeast flank of the Chiricahua Mountains in the Coronado National Forest. Human Desert grassland / scrub oak / pine Cochise 222,954 ac 348 sq.mi.

90,226 ha 23 0 0 2011 Monument Fire Human-caused fire burned through the Miller Peak Wilderness in the Huachuca Mountains and into Sierra Vista. Human Conifer-oak / pinyon-juniper Cochise 30,526 ac 48 sq.mi.

12,353 ha 84 0 0 2011 Wallow Fire Largest fire in Arizona history. Burned 841 square miles of vegetation in the Apache National Forest near Alpine. Human Ponderosa pine / gamble oak / sagebrush shrubland Apache / Graham / Greenlee / Navajo 538,049 ac

841 sq.mi.

217,741 ha 72 0 16 2012 Gladiator Fire Residential fire sparked large fire in the Prescott National Forest near Crown King. Human Pine-oak / ponderosa pine Yavapai 16,240 ac 25 sq.mi.

6,572 ha 6 0 8 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire June 28 lightning-started fire that grew rapidly due to high temperatures, low humidity and wind. Occurred near the town of Yarnell, about 85 miles NW of Phoenix, killing 19 firefighters and forcing the closure of parts of State Route 89. Lightning Desert grass / pinyon-juniper woodlands Yavapai 8,500 ac 13 sq.mi.

3,440 ha 129 19 22 2014 Slide Fire Late in the afternoon of May 20, 2014, a wildfire was reported in Oak Creek Canyon, just north of Slide Rock State Park. It was fully contained on June 4, 2014, due to the efforts of over 1,230 firefighters, 50 crews, 29 engines and 9 helicopters. Its cause is still officially classified as "unknown," but officials have said it was likely started by humans. Unknown Ponderosa pine-oak / juniper-pinyon Coconino 21,227 ac 0 0 0 2016 Baker Canyon Fire Unknown Brush Cochise 7,980 ac 0 0 0 2016 Topock Fire Human Brush Mohave 2,200 ac 0 0 02017Sawmill FireOn April 23, 2017, a father hosting a gender reveal party shot a target containing tannerite (an explosive substance) and blue powder, to announce that the baby was a boy. The explosion started a fire in the surrounding grass. Over 100 people were evacuated and total damage amounted to about $8 million.HumanGrass / chaparral / oak brushPima46,911 ac002017Goodwin FireThe fire began on June 24, 2017. It caused the Mayer Fire Department and the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office to shut down parts of Highway 69 between the towns of Mayer and Dewey-Humboldt. More than 100 people had to be evacuated; most were from Mayer.UnknownDry grass / brush / chaparralYavapai28,516 ac5012019Woodbury FireBegan on June 8, 2019, five miles northwest of Superior, AZ. Over its duration, the fire traveled through the Superstition Wilderness area of the Tonto National Forest, tracking to the northeast toward Theodore Roosevelt Lake.HumanTall grass / brush / chaparralPinal, Maricopa, Gila123,875 ac0002020Bighorn FireThe fire started during a thunderstorm over the Tucson area the evening of June 5. A lightning strike hit Coronado National Forest. The fire moved into the Pusch Ridge Wilderness of the Santa Catalina Mountains. By the evening of June 10, it had moved to the south side of the Santa Catalina Mountains, with flames visible throughout Tucson. Evacuations of areas near the fire began on June 11.Lightning Bush, treesPima119,541 ac0092020Bush FireThe fire started not far from SR-87 which ultimately led to the ongoing closure of this route. The fire is believed to be human-caused, but is still under investigation. Due to high winds and low humidity, the fire rapidly spread and forced evacuations of large sections of the communities of Tonto Basin and Punkin Center.HumanGrass, chaparral, juniper-pinyonMaricopa, Gila193,455 ac0002020Mangum FireThe fire started around 3pm EDT on June 8, 2020 in the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The fire evacuated the community of Jacob Lake. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.UnknownTimber, short grass, brush Coconino71,450 ac0002021Spur FireThe Spur Fire started on May 27, 2021, in the mining town of Bagdad. Due to strong winds, It spread quickly and residents were ordered to evacuate. The fire destroyed 20 structures, including 13 homes. It is believed to have been caused by a road construction crew nearby.HumanDry grass / brushYavapai153 ac20002021Tiger FireThe Tiger fire started on June 30, 2021, due to a dry lightning strike in the Prescott National Forest. An evacuation order was placed for Horsethief Basin Lake due to the fire burning near the reservoir. On July 30, 2021, the fire reached 100% containment with no injuries or deaths reported, and no buildings damaged or destroyed.LightningDry grass / brushYavapai16,278 ac000 2021Telegraph FireThe Telegraph Fire started on June 4, 2021 in Superior. The cause is unknown, but it is believed to be by humans. As of July 3, 2021, the fire was 100% contained.HumanDry grass / brushPinal52002025Dragon Bravo FireStarted on July 4, 2025 near the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Caused by lightning. The fire destroyed 113 structures, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. It became a megafire at the close of July 30, 2025. The fire was declared 100% contained on September 29, 2025, at 145,504 acres (58,883 ha). LightningBrush / closed timber litter / timberCoconino145,504 acres (58,883 ha)1131None known

Lesser known fires