The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department will lift its annual fire ban on Wednesday, October 9. This allows park visitors to use campfires, fire pits, and charcoal grills.
“With the cooler temperatures and several schools on fall break, we know park visitors are eager to include a family barbecue and campfire as part of their festivities in the parks. While this has been an extremely dry monsoon season for the state, the cooler temperatures and recent rains have made our team more comfortable about lifting the fire ban. However, we do have a couple of parks that are not out of the woods just yet. If wind conditions or other factors become a problem, the park supervisors may issue a temporary fire ban to ensure park and visitor safety,” said R.J. Cardin, Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department Director.
The system-wide fire ban was initiated on May 1 to limit the possibility of starting a brush fire, which could cause serious damage to the parks and neighboring property owners.
“The fall season is absolutely beautiful in the Sonoran desert. With the weather finally starting to cool down in the evenings, I’d like to invite everyone to reconnect with nature by joining one of our many outdoor educational programs or taking advantage of our Buy One, Get One Camping Promotion, that runs through November 10,” added Cardin.
There are eleven Maricopa County Parks: Lake Pleasant Regional Park, White Tank Mountain Regional Park, Adobe Dam Regional Park, Buckeye Hills Regional Park, Estrella Mountain Regional Park, San Tan Mountain Regional Park, Usery Mountain Regional Park, McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Cave Creek Regional Park, Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, and Hassayampa River Preserve.
If you have any questions regarding any of the parks, call the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department at (602) 506-2930, or visit www.maricopacountyparks.net.