Following a dry winter across much of the country – especially the Southwest – land managers and wildland fire professionals across the West are preparing for high wildfire potential during the West’s traditional wildfire season.  

Southwestern states like Arizona and New Mexico have seen low levels of precipitation this winter, with 17 sites across New Mexico marking their driest winter on record, and Arizona towns like Flagstaff reporting a 50-inch snowfall deficit.  

In preparation for the summer months ahead, Western Governors and their states are bolstering their wildfire suppression and prevention efforts.  

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs recently joined leaders with the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Management to urge residents to take precautionary measures this year, such as cleaning up dead brush around homes and making sure chains are secured to vehicles. Governor Hobbs said that the state has treated 23,000 acres of fire-prone land since last July, with the goal of 30,000 acres by June.  

Also in Arizona, more than 1,000 firefighters participated in an annual wildfire academy to hone their skills in everything from air operations to cutting brush and building fire lines.  

In New Mexico, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham proclaimed the week of March 29 – April 4 as Wildfire Awareness Week and encouraged smart fire prevention practices. The New Mexico Legislature has also taken multiple actions this session to safeguard against wildfire, including a bill to establish a Fire Planning Task Force to mitigate wildfire risk, and a bill to create a Wildfire Suppression Fund and Wildfire Preparedness Fund to prepare for and prevent fire.  

Earlier this year, Idaho Governor Brad Little detailed his state’s plan to protect against wildfire. He called for enhancements to fire detection technologies, an expanded aviation program, firefighter bonuses, and funding to replenish the Fire Suppression Fund. The Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee recently approved a slimmed-down $40 million for the Fire Suppression Fund, as well as funds for firefighter bonuses, fire detection cameras, and equipment.  

In Colorado, Governor Jared Polis announced 37 wildfire mitigation grants across 26 Colorado counties this week.  

“Preventing wildfires is an all-hands-on-deck effort in Colorado,” said Governor Polis. “Wildfires continue to be a serious threat to Colorado communities, and investing in fire mitigation initiatives and helping communities create defensible spaces helps all Coloradans and firefighters to be better prepared in the event of a fire emergency.” 

In Utah, Governor Spencer Cox signed a bill last month to join the Great Plains Fire Compact, which includes Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Arizona, and Saskatchewan, Canada. The agreement helps facilitate collaboration and resource sharing for firefighting.  

Governor Gavin Newsom has also taken action to protect Californians from wildfire threats, including an Executive Order to help communities adapt for future fire threats, and an actionable list of key deliverables from the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force to outline priorities for fire mitigation and protection.  

Elsewhere around the West, Governor Larry Rhoden of South Dakota signed an Executive Order to support wildland firefighting efforts, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon signed a bill to replenish the state’s emergency fire suppression account with $20 million. 

Geothermal neighborhood: in Colorado, Governor Jared Polis joined officials from Dandelion Energy, Lennar Corporation, Xcel Energy, and the Colorado Energy Office to celebrate a new housing development that will incorporate geothermal heating and cooling into 1,500 new homes near Denver.

The project aims to cut energy costs for homeowners, while also reducing the installation costs of ground source geothermal by drilling geothermal boreholes before developing the neighborhood, rather than undergoing the expensive process of tapping geothermal sources in existing developments.  

Learn more about Governor Polis’ work on geothermal through his WGA Chair initiative, The Heat Beneath Our Feet, and read more about the new project in The Denver Gazette.  

Data centers + housing: last month, North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong visited a new data center expansion and related housing project from Applied Digital. 

The company plans to invest $5 billion in its high-performance computing data center operations in Ellendale, which will create hundreds of jobs in the area. In addition, Applied Digital plans to partner with Headwaters Development and the Bank of North Dakota to build 20 new homes and a 38-unit apartment complex for its employees. 

The project is the first to utilize the state’s Rural-Workforce Initiative to Support Housing (R-WISH) pilot program, which supports rural communities of 20,000 residents or less with the construction of market-rate housing for the workforce when a company is locating or expanding its operations. 

Alaskan volcano: Mount Spurr, an active volcano about 80 miles west of Anchorage, is showing signs that it is likely to erupt soon. Telltale signs such as nearby earthquakes, melting snow on the peak, emissions of volcanic gases, and the volcano’s expanding surface all point toward a likely eruption.

Mount Spurr is far enough from any communities that the only impacts to small towns like Tyonek and larger cities like Anchorage will likely be ashfall, depending on the wind speed and direction during the eruption. The last time Spurr erupted, in 1992, multiple inches of ash reached Anchorage thanks to winds blowing in its direction.  

Read more about the potential eruption, including frequently asked questions and ways to stay safe in coverage from Alaska Public Media.  

Rodeo named official sport: the Montana Legislature voted recently to adopt American Rodeo as the Treasure State’s official sport. Once Governor Greg Gianforte signs the bill, Montana will become the fourth state to make rodeo its official sport, joining Texas, Wyoming, and South Dakota.  

Other notable state sports around the West include curling in North Dakota, pickleball in Washington, pack burro racing in Colorado, and dog mushing in Alaska.