Photo by K&K Photography: Telegraph fires devastated areas of Gila County in 2021.

Apply by February 3rd

Contribution article

Gila County – The devastating Telegraph fire will cause flash floods in 2021, raising concerns among Miami and Grove residents about the quality of the environment and potential pollutants released by the fire and carried by water and wind. I came to embrace Would you, or someone you know, want to join the University of Arizona-backed Community Advisory Board working on Rethinking Fire, Floods, and Health? Confirm your interest in the Community Advisory Board. Sign up by emailing her Julieann Fonseca at jmfonseca@arizona.edu. Researcher at the University of Arizona School of Environmental Sciences or call (520) 425-4549.

The University of Arizona School of Environmental Sciences, in partnership with the Gila County Cooperative Extension, is leading a two-year regional science initiative. This research was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the University of Arizona’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and is a research project likely to have impact beyond our region. .

* Identify affected areas and survey families to determine vulnerability and resilience at individual and community levels.

* Build human capacity through empowerment education and community science, training residents on how to collect environmental samples and interpret datasets.

* Characterize pollutants released into soil, sediment, and/or accumulated dust in and around residential areas during wildfires to prepare for future events.

* Share and report data to participants to provide intervention/prevention strategies to protect families.

To support this research and effort, Community Advisory Board members will learn more about the project and research, discuss community issues, and participate in the decision-making process. Board members are compensated for their time. Commitments include attending two-hour quarterly meetings, reviewing and commenting on written materials, and serving on the Board through 2024.