Contributed Article
The Graham County Board of Supervisors will hold a legislative hearing Saturday, Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. at the General Services Building in Safford regarding forest fires in rural Arizona. LD-14 Sen. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford and LD-6 Rep. Brenda Barton, R-Payson will be in attendance. Barton was born and raised in Safford and began her public service career with the city of Safford.
Brenda Barton
Griffin and Barton will lead the hearing to take a close look at forest fires in rural Arizona. The goal of the hearing is to hear from citizens in the affected areas about the impact these fires cause in their communities.
“Fires will always be a part of life in Arizona,” a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry said. “We need to find better ways to both prevent and suppress wildfires.
Speakers, including those from the State Forestry and State Land Departments and others, intend to address such topics such as law enforcement and security issues, fire aftermath problems and potential ways to improve rural firefighting.
Gail Griffin
“Local fire departments and knowledgeable firefighters are vital in preventing and fighting fires,” Griffin said. “It’s very important the federal and state fire crews acknowledge the importance of the local fire departments when fighting forest fires. Real coordination amongst all the entities, especially with local input, will be the key to success in the future.”
Other speakers will include Graham County Sheriff P.J. Allred and Supervisor Jim Palmer.
