Grand Canyon National Park and Coconino County have lifted some fire restrictions as the monsoon weather has reduced the risk of wildfires, state and county officials said.
On Friday, Coconino County lowered fire restrictions to Stage 1, allowing campfires in developed areas.
The Grand Canyon National Park Service will also ease restrictions to Phase 1 starting July 1, but campers will still be required to keep fires burning in certain areas.
An early monsoon and significant rainfall has brought a pause to fire activity in northern Arizona this week, but many fires remain burning in central and southern parts of the state.
“Usually at this time of year the monsoon hasn't started yet or it's within the next few days, but this year it has started early and we're expecting more monsoon activity in the coming days,” said Juston Johndroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Flagstaff.
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Rain has fallen in the Flagstaff area every day since Sunday except Thursday, with a total of 1.18 inches of rainfall at the Flagstaff Airport.
Grand Canyon Airport saw 0.26 inches of rain, and Prescott saw 0.32 inches, Johndroe said.
“Further increases in precipitation totals are likely,” forecasters said, raising hopes of rainfall through July 2.
Stage 1 fire restrictions mean visitors to Northern Arizona still need to take extra precautions to prevent new fires from starting.
The Grand Canyon Park Service advises visitors to only build fires in designated fire pits in campgrounds, and portable stoves should be secured and kept away from grass and other fuels to prevent accidents caused by tipping over.
The park service said visitors should only smoke on paved surfaces or in their vehicles and should be especially careful not to throw away cigarette butts, which can easily cause fires.
Coconino County officials followed similar steps, banning open flames outside developed areas, outdoor smoking and target shooting within county lines.
Officials reminded visitors of the importance of fire safety ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.
“As Independence Day approaches, we urge the public to always use extreme caution when recreating on public or private lands, regardless of restrictions, as violations may result in fines and/or jail time,” a news release from Coconino County Emergency Management read.
