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Rugged mountains meet miles and miles of deserts, which meet lush forests in the state of Arizona. Such an environment is definitely picturesque, but certainly makes for an easy target of wildfires.
Although wildfires have become an integral part of the state's ecosystem, shaping its one-of-a-kind biodiversity and driving its natural processes, the fierce flames can still be unpredictable for locals.
However, ironically, the origin of the majority of Arizona's wildfires can, in fact, be traced back to humans.
As reported by Axios Phoenix, people started more than 60% of the wildfires over the past thirty years:
"With climate change priming conditions for more and bigger wildfires, changing human behavior could make a significant difference against an increasing threat.
Recreation, arson and debris are the top known causes of human-started wildfires in the state, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The average human-started fire over the past three decades burned 75 acres, while the average lightning-ignited blaze burned 130 acres."
Not to mention, the biggest wildfires in Arizona's history were also the direct results of human actions.
The Wallow Fire of May 2011, which burned a total of 538,049 acres across Arizona and New Mexico, began when campers staying in the While Mountains abandoned a fire.
Dual fires, the Rodeo Fire and the Chediski Fire, also caused significant damage of 468,638 acres in June 2002. The former was the result of arson, while the latter was the aftermath of a stranded person aiming to attract attention to receive help. Almost 500 homes were destroyed in both incidents.