FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — While the snow is nearly gone from the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, what's left is a small reminder of what winter brought.
"We had a really good wet winter," said Capt. Dylan Guffey with the Flagstaff Fire Department.
The wet winter and spring did help fire danger.
"It's great that fire danger is at moderate to high versus severe," said Randi Shaffer, a spokesperson with Coconino National Forest.
But still, the wet winter and spring did help fire fuels grow that are now starting to dry out.
The biggest mistake Guffey sees campers make is not completely extinguishing campfires.
"They assume that the campfire is out and that it's not going to creep out of the pit and that's where a large majority of our fires come from," Guffey said.
Guffey recommends people use designated fire pits, clear vegetation at least 15 feet away, and keep the fire small. Before leaving camp, Guffey recommends people drown and stir fires out.
"If it's too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave," Guffey said.
Shaffer adds that things like dragging chains and cigarette butts also contribute to fires starting.
"All it takes is one spark to start a wildfire," Shaffer said. "And so even though we are looking pretty good compared to years past, we do still want forest visitors to remain ever cautious and careful while they're out recreating especially with fire."
Before deciding where to camp, Guffey reminds people that there are no campfires allowed within Flagstaff's city limits.
Regarding restrictions on Forest Service land, Shaffer recommends people recreating in the forest check the restrictions online before their trip.
"If people don't abide by fire restrictions - low end of the risk there's a ticket a citation," Shaffer said. "High end of the risk - You've seen the wildfires that have happened in the past and Flagstaff. So anything ranging from a ticket or a citation to a major type one wildfire that destroys tons of forest land and homes and you never want to risk it."