Arizona Senators Clear The Way For Nearly $189-Million In Additional Wildfire Mitigation Efforts In Northern Arizona

Arizona senators Mark Kelly and Krysten Sinema announced Monday that nearly 189-million dollars from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Law will be invested in Arizona wildfire mitigation efforts for the City of Prescott and the Four Forests Restoration Initiative, or 4FRI. The investments comes as part of the USDA’s Forest Service’s ten year wildfire strategy. The Greater Prescott Area Wildfire Protection and Restoration project is getting just over $11-million this year and an addition $28.7-million over the next three years. The project will reduce community wildland fire risks while restoring and increasing ecosystem resiliency. It will also enhance public and firefighter safety and reduce the threat of wildfires to popular recreation areas and trail systems. The project will also reduce wildfire hazards to Prescott, Prescott Valley, Dewey-Humboldt, Mayer, Cottonwood and other surrounding areas. Currently most of those areas are in high-risks from wildfires. 4FRI will receive an additional $160-million over the next three years, which will continue to help mitigation efforts, including work on the Flagstaff Water Protection Project. Around 300-thousand additional acres are expected to be treated during this time, thus reducing the risk for wildfires near high population areas of Northern Arizona.