Dear Friends,

The dry weather we're experiencing means fire season might be rough this year. It could come early and last longer. Let's face it-Arizona has all the ingredients for fire: low moisture, fuel in the form of grasslands and trees, and a population that keeps growing. People are the cause of 60 percent of our wildfires. With this year's drought, we could be facing the worst fire season in a long time. As a result, we must work even harder to keep our homes, people, and environment safe. This year we're going to get an early start and continue to be proactive. That way when the fires come, and they will come, they are managed quickly and managed well. You'll be safer, your home will be safer, and Arizona's beauty will remain in tact.

Today, I called together community leaders, media, and emergency responders from across the state for a briefing on the 2006 fire season. My office is working with entities, including cities, towns, and counties, throughout Arizona to enhance preparedness this year. Our fire fighting plans begin locally. In fact, Arizona has the most community wildfire protection plans of any state in the union. Communities across Arizona are developing, or have adopted comprehensive emergency plans. I've called upon every community to ensure their plan is up to date and their community leaders are well versed about what to do in case of a fire. I'm also working to make sure that all possible resources are available to fight these fires. I want to protect our people.

Everyone has a role to play in fire prevention. For our fire prevention efforts to be as successful as possible, I need your help too. The first step you can take is to become educated on how to protect yourself and your property from fire. There are simple things you can do, like clearing out dead brush and thinning out trees that are close to your home, to prevent fires. These steps could save your home. Next, I want you to do your part in preventing fires altogether. Like I mentioned earlier, people cause over half of wildfires. Awareness of how dry Arizona has become may save an entire forest, so as you are out enjoying our beautiful state, please pitch-in and help prevent fires from starting by completely extinguishing camp fires and disposing of flammable litter in appropriate places. Let's work together to fight fires before they start.

For tips on how to protect your property and yourself visit www.firewise.org. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please contact my office at 1-800-253-0883 and ask to speak to Constituent Services.


Yours very truly, 


Janet Napolitano
Governor


Please encourage your friends and family to sign up for my Message of the Week at http://www.azgovernor.gov.