Coconino County officials warn of unusually dry winter, expand preparedness as APS readies broader PSPS use

Coconino County emergency management and partner agencies told the Board of Supervisors on an emergency briefing that Northern Arizona’s unusually dry winter and near‑record low snowpack increase the risk of an extended, significant wildfire season and that preparations — including an expanded Arizona Public Service (APS) public safety power shutoff (PSPS) program — are under way.

The county’s interim emergency management director, Tim Carter, said the briefing was meant to both summarize the drought‑and‑fire outlook and explain what agencies and residents can do. “This is truly a whole‑community effort, for wildfire preparedness,” Carter said.

National Weather Service Flagstaff meteorologist Brian Klamowski and warning‑coordination meteorologist Megan Taylor presented data showing severe drought across much of Coconino County and below‑average snowpack in the high country. Taylor said Flagstaff has received 11.2 inches of snowfall so far this season versus a typical total of more than 60 inches, and that many mountain SNOTEL sites are reporting snow‑water equivalent well below normal. “If the dry conditions persist into the spring, there is potential for an extended and significant wildfire season,” Taylor said.

APS representatives described steps the utility is taking to reduce fire ignitions and to notify customers if they use PSPS as a risk‑reduction tool. Janet Dean of APS characterized PSPS as “a tool in our toolbox” that the utility will use only under extreme conditions to reduce the risk of wildfire caused by electrical equipment. APS said it has expanded the number of feeders identified for possible PSPS from 13 last year to 65 across Northern Arizona and that the company will provide maps and an interactive, address‑search map on its website so customers can check whether they are on an affected circuit.

Wade Ward, APS fire mitigation manager, described mitigation measures including vegetation maintenance, “grid hardening,” pole wraps and cameras. Ward described the proprietary pole wrap APS is using: when fire heats the material to a threshold it expands and helps exclude oxygen from the pole surface. He said APS will install more than 100 weather stations on its poles by May 1, deploy about 100 PTZ (pan‑tilt‑zoom) cameras and add roughly 15 additional artificial‑intelligence smoke‑detection cameras this year; APS currently has 13 AI cameras in operation.

County staff and the sheriff’s office outlined the county’s role during an event. Carter said the county will use its emergency notification system and FEMA’s IPAWS capability to help reach both residents and visitors in impacted areas. The sheriff’s office described its role as the official issuing authority for evacuations and said it relies on fire‑agency guidance on when to order evacuations and when to allow reentry.

The county also reviewed preparedness and mitigation efforts it is advancing: a revised county wildfire‑defense ordinance (Ordinance 2024‑01), an updated evacuation mapping system that divides population centers into preidentified zones to speed notifications and reentry, a march 12 countywide test of the emergency notification system, a planned mobile emergency‑operations trailer expected on site within about 45 days, and ongoing training, exercises and a NAU EOC lab program for students.

Nonprofit partners described volunteer and donation coordination. Liz Archuleta, president and CEO of United Way of Northern Arizona, said United Way mobilizes trained volunteers for activities such as sandbagging and shelter support and operates a crisis fund and volunteer assistance center during protracted incidents.

County staff and APS emphasized outreach: APS will mail targeted PSPS materials to customers on higher‑risk lines and launch an interactive map, and county emergency management said it will use coordinated public information and its registration‑based alert system to notify impacted households — including the functionality to identify persons reporting powered medical devices or access/functional needs so providers can prioritize outreach.

Speakers repeatedly urged residents to prepare at the household level — know your evacuation zone, build a “go kit,” create and practice a family evacuation plan, and clear defensible space around structures — and to sign up for county and utility alerts.

No formal votes or ordinance changes were taken at the briefing. The meeting combined hazard outlooks, agency operational updates and commitments to additional outreach, mapping and coordination.