COTTONWOOD, Ariz. — Prescott National Forest is issuing a ban on recreational shooting at the Black Canyon Recreational Area near Cottonwood due to public safety concerns.
The U.S. Forest Service announced Monday that an "extreme risk" to public heath exists to necessitate a ban on gunfire in the area starting May 6.
"Due to increased health and safety concerns and several reported ‘near-miss’ situations, PNF officials coordinated with community leaders and elected officials and gained support to implement the Shooting Closure Order," the Forest Service wrote in a statement.
The closure order is needed to limit the risk of wildfires igniting from ricocheting bullets and protect the safety of nearby residents, officials said. The order will apply to firearms, air rifles or gas guns.
Forest officials said there's been instances of bullets being fired from the recreation area and then entering nearby residential structures.
The ban applies to the area located between State Route 260 and the Verde River, south of the Cottonwood-Verde Village housing development.
An individual who violates the order could be issued a $5,000 fine or face up to six months in prison.
The ban will remain in effect until Nov. 2 unless it is rescinded earlier.
UP TO SPEED
What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
