Arizona forest officials increase Fourth of July staffing in effort to prevent wildfires [Video]

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management plans to increase its staffing this Fourth of July holiday weekend to prevent wildfires from sparking from fireworks.

The department says 89% of all wildfires this year have been human-caused.

Due to the hot and dry conditions, the department worries if someone sets off a firework and something goes wrong, the chance of a fire starting and spreading is very high.

It’s why they are increasing staff through the weekend and pre-positioning crews in certain parts of the state.

“Our prevention officers will be out today and through the weekend patrolling our higher risk areas like the I-17 corridor, State Route 74 near Lake Pleasant, and across the [U.S.] 60,” Tiffany Davila with the Department of Forestry and Fire Management said.

Forestry officials will also be in areas like Pinal County, Wittman, Apache Junction and Gold Canyon. Fire crews are pre-positioned …