VIDEO: The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management just began their Yellow Jacket Fuels Reduction project near the southern border. The project is meant to reduce the risk of wildfires while keeping the environment healthy. The project is meant to clear 61 acres of land, focusing on low-lying brush.
“If you think of sparks coming off of chains from a vehicle or a cigarette butt that’s tossed, all of those things – they’re going to start the fire low,” said Matthew Wilcox with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Wildfire Management. Wilcox said that from there, wind could cause fire to spread higher and into new areas, making the fire more difficult to control.
“What we have right now is crews that are taking down either the weaker or dead trees and leaving the strongest trees – that’s why we call it a shaded fuel break is that there’s still some trees in there for native species,” said Wilcox. The project aims to keep local communities safe from that spread in the first place.
