Agencies detail 2026 wildfire season preparedness strategies

Flood Control District repays $15.5 million county loan

Sen. Kelly advances $2.1 billion Grand Canyon recovery request

County seeks $3 million grant for sidewalks near Cromer Elementary School

County accepts 488-acre land donation in Williams

Liquor license recommended for proposed new Munds Park restaurant

Agencies detail 2026 wildfire season preparedness strategies

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. - County Emergency Management, the Coconino National Forest, the National Weather Service and Arizona Public Service presented a comprehensive readiness plan for the 2026 wildfire season, warning of above-normal fire potential in May and June due to low snowpack. Forest Service officials highlighted a 600 percent reduction in human-caused fire starts on the San Francisco Peaks due to non-motorized use areas implemented during fire restrictions, while APS representatives outlined their expanded Public Safety Power Shutoff protocols for extreme wind events. Emergency management director Tim Carter urged residents to sign up for emergency notifications, clear their defensible space and identify their specific evacuation zones through the county's interactive map.

Flood Control District repays $15.5 million county loan

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. - The Coconino County Flood Control District officially repaid a $15.5 million loan to the county's general fund, fulfilling a financial agreement made during major wildfire events. The board, acting as the Flood Control District Board of Directors, unanimously authorized the transfer of the principal amount along with more than $300,000 in interest. Flood Control District administrator Lucinda Andreani noted the general fund loan served as a critical match for nearly $100 million in federal grants, allowing the county to complete extensive post-wildfire flood mitigation projects over the last four years.

Sen. Kelly advances $2.1 billion Grand Canyon recovery request

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. - The board received an update regarding a federal funding push for Grand Canyon recovery efforts. Staff reported that U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly's office has advanced a $2.1 billion appropriations request, distributed over 10 years, through the Great American Outdoors Act. The proposed funding would be allocated for extensive forest restoration and long-term recovery projects on both the North and South rims of the Grand Canyon, an initiative heavily supported by county lobbyists and emergency management officials.

County seeks $3 million grant for sidewalks near Cromer Elementary School

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. - The board unanimously approved a $3 million grant application to the Arizona Department of Transportation to construct sidewalks connecting Cromer Elementary School to neighborhoods along Skeet and Neptune drives. The county will provide a $171,649 funding match for the project, which aims to improve pedestrian safety in the Doney Park area. Public works officials noted the grant process will be highly competitive but called the project essential, citing county data showing that 45 percent of pedestrian crashes on county roads result in fatalities.

County accepts 488-acre land donation in Williams

WILLIAMS, Ariz. - The county unanimously approved an agreement with the Trust for Public Land to accept the donation of the 488-acre Gonzalez Ranch in Williams for passive recreational use. The board authorized a $150,000 payment to the trust for its due diligence and transaction services in facilitating the transfer from the Biegert family. Parks and recreation director Cynthia Nemeth said the county will soon initiate a community master planning process for the property and may use the land's value as an in-kind match to pursue a $1 million Land and Water Conservation Fund grant.

Liquor license recommended for proposed new Munds Park restaurant

MUNDS PARK, Ariz. - The board unanimously recommended approval for a new Series 12 restaurant liquor license for Saigon North, a proposed restaurant at 17612 Fairway Drive in Munds Park. Clerk of the board Lindsay Daley noted the application, submitted by the applicant's agent, Lauren Kay Merrett, received no objections from the public, the sheriff's office or the health department following standard postings. While the license is new, the location previously housed a licensed establishment, and the owners are currently working with the health department to finalize food service requirements before breaking ground.

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