‘There’s just too much at risk’: Arizona closes parks to prevent extreme wildfires

Coconino and Kaibab national forests have become a tinder box due to high temperatures and low precipitation

Escaping to the high country over the Fourth of July holiday is a cherished Arizona tradition. Desert dwellers tired of triple digit temperatures pitch their tents in forest service campgrounds, where night-time lows are often 40F (22C) cooler than in Phoenix. Not this year" though, says Brady Smith, public information officer for the Coconino national forest.

As of Wednesday, the Coconino and Kaibab national forests -both high elevation recreation meccas - were completely and indefinitely closed in an attempt to protect the public and the environment from extreme wildfire danger.