Flagstaff, Arizona (AZ Family) — Nearly two years after a wildfire burned 27,000 acres east of Flagstaff and destroyed buildings in post-fire flooding, Coconino County and the Natural Resources Conservation Service confirmed the completion of mitigation projects for the first time.
The county spent about $70 million to prevent flooding east of Flagstaff. Approximately $60 million of the project's funding was provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
After the 2022 pipeline fire put 1,500 homes at risk of post-wildfire flooding, officials knew they had to take action.
Tom O'Halleran, a former congressman from northern Arizona, is no stranger to these types of disasters. He played a major role in securing funding from the NRSC for post-flood reconstruction.
“Well, agencies can’t get funding unless we in Congress work for it,” O’Halleran said. “We need to understand that we are working not just for today, but for tomorrow.”
On Tuesday, NRCS Director Terry Cosby toured NRCS-funded projects.
“To go out and see what kind of work our staff, especially our staff here in Arizona, are doing and the benefits that we're bringing to the landscape here,” Cosby said. .
Some of the funding went toward rebuilding flood corridors that lead to nearby areas on and off the mountain.
What has the project achieved so far?
- 7.5 mile channel stabilized
- Five miles of spillways and storm drains flooded
- 250 acres of watershed restored
- Including 7 of 9 buildings destroyed in 2022 fires and floods
More prevention projects and funding are planned. O'Haran said the goal is to keep neighborhoods and families safe.
“This makes sense because when you go to bed at night, you don't have to worry about flooding coming from that mountain,” he says. “So a child who wakes up in the middle of the night to thunder doesn't have to worry about flooding in their neighborhood.”
The county and NRCS plan to consider fire prevention measures to prevent incidents like this from happening in the future.
Was there a spelling or grammatical error in your story? Click here to report.
Have a breaking news photo or video? Send it to us that's for us here Comes with a simple explanation.
Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
