Springerville, Eagar move to Stage 2 fire restrictions amid extreme danger
Campfires, roadside smoking and spark-producing work were banned in Springerville and Eagar as Stage 2 rules took effect at 6 a.m. June 25. Officials warned one spark could turn fast.
Springerville and Eagar shut down campfires, roadside smoking and most spark-producing work at 6 a.m. on June 25 under a Stage 2 proclamation signed by Eagar Mayor Guy Phelps and Springerville Mayor Richard Davis. The proclamation said a single spark could threaten homes, businesses, firefighters and the natural resources that sustain summer life in Round Valley.
The restrictions apply inside the corporate limits of both towns and on municipal-owned property. Open fires and campfires are banned. Smoking is prohibited except inside enclosed vehicles or buildings. Discharging firearms is restricted except in lawful hunts where otherwise permitted. The order also limits mechanical and industrial operations that can throw sparks, including internal-combustion engine use, welding, cutting, grinding, acetylene torches and explosives.
The proclamation leaves room for some work if it is specifically approved. Written permits from the Round Valley Fire and Medical Department or authorized municipal officials can exempt certain activities, and emergency repairs and critical infrastructure work may continue when the Fire Chief or designee approves mitigation measures. Even those exemptions do not stand automatically during a National Weather Service Red Flag Warning affecting Apache County, when all permits and exemptions are suspended unless the Fire Chief or designee specifically authorizes them.
The towns acted with local fire agencies and emergency management officials because of prolonged drought, critically dry vegetation, high temperatures, low relative humidity and forecast fire weather conditions.
The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests also entered Stage 2 Fire Restrictions at 6 a.m. June 25, with an alert end date of Sept. 30, 2026. That order covers National Forest System lands, roads and trails in Apache, Coconino, Greenlee and Navajo counties and was coordinated through the White Mountain Fire Restrictions Coordinating Group.
Every person in Apache County is affected by drought, and January through May 2026 ranked as the 26th driest year to date over the past 132 years, according to Drought.gov. The Apache-Sitgreaves system spans about 2 million acres and 450 miles of rivers and streams. The 2011 Wallow Fire forced evacuations of Eagar and Springerville.
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