Prescott: Arizona State Agency Launches 1,150-Acre Wildfire Fuel Reduction Project Near Vulnerable Neighborhoods

State firefighters move heavy machinery into Prescott basin as wildfire risk climbs

The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management will begin a large-scale wildfire prevention project near Prescott on Monday, June 8, targeting more than 1,150 acres of vegetation that officials say could fuel a catastrophic fire.

The project marks one of the largest state-led fuel reduction efforts in the area and reflects growing concern about wildfire vulnerability in the Prescott basin.

"The Prescott basin is identified as one of the most vulnerable communities at risk from a catastrophic wildfire," DFFM Chief Darrell Willis said in the announcement. "This project will complement what the Prescott National Forest has done south of Prescott and tie in fuel reduction projects that will reduce the risk of a wildfire entering the Prescott basin."

Where crews will work

Operations will start with 300 acres of heavy machinery work near four neighborhoods:

• Oak Knoll Village
• Sherman Pines
• The Ranch
• Prescott Riviera

Hand crews will follow the machinery work to handle areas that are steep or rocky where equipment cannot operate effectively. The goal is to turn brush and vegetation that spreads fire into mulch and other less combustible materials. The work will also prepare the area for future prescribed burns.

What residents need to know

The Turley and Badger trails within the project area will remain open during operations. Officials will post signs along the trails to keep hikers from interfering with the work.

Chief Willis urged homeowners to take their own steps to reduce wildfire risk.

"While this will reduce the threat of a wildfire, homeowners need to do their part and substantially reduce the risk by providing defensible space on their property," Willis said.

Timeline and potential delays

The project is expected to run through the rest of 2026 after its June 8 start date. Officials noted that weather conditions and fire-related delays could affect the schedule.

The Prescott basin has faced repeated wildfire threats in recent years. State officials have increasingly pointed to the area as a priority for fuel reduction efforts as climate conditions make wildfires more frequent and more severe across northern Arizona.

This is a state agency operation, not a federal one. The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management is a division of the Arizona State Land Department, meaning the project falls under state government action and state funding.