Wildfire in Arizona, July 1 to 16, 2004

Name: Wildfire in Arizona, July 1 to 16, 2004
Start: 2004-07-01T00:00
End: 2004-07-16T18:00
Location: Arizona

July 1 to 16, 2004 · NWS FGZ · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Lightning started the Willow Fire about 18 miles southwest of Payson on June 24th. The fire was located in the Mazatzal Wilderness south of the Mogollon Rim.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS FGZ wrote it up.

Lightning started the Willow Fire about 18 miles southwest of Payson on June 24th. The fire was located in the Mazatzal Wilderness south of the Mogollon Rim. One of the main concerns was that the fire would cross East Verde River and make a run towards the communities of Pine, Strawberry, and Payson. Fire fighting resources included: 8 Type 1 Crews, 4 Type 2 Crews, 4 Type 1 Helicopters, 2 Type 2 Helicopters, 1 Type 3 Helicopter, 6 Dozers, 38 Engines, and 19 Water tenders. Firefighting cost were $8,375,000 by July 10th...not including the value of burned assets. The fire burned 40,800 acres by the end of June and 79,150 acres in July. The total size was 119,950 acres by the time the fire was contained on July 16th.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Flagstaff, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 30, 9:15 PM MST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 30, 9:15 PM MST, 2 hours 45 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
915 PM MST WED JUN 30 2004

.SYNOPSIS...DRY AIR ALOFT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN
ARIZONA TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. THIS WILL BRING AN END TO THE THREAT
OF SHOWERS AND RESULT IN MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES TO ALL OF THE AREA
EXCEPT THE EXTREME EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE. TEMPERATURES WILL
REMAIN NEAR NORMAL THROUGH FRIDAY.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
THE AIRMASS OVER NRN AZ HAS REALLY DRIED OUT DURING THE LAST 24
HOURS. SURFACE DEW POINTS THIS AFTERNOON WERE IN THE TEENS AND SINGLE
DIGITS IN MANY LOCATIONS WITH VERY LOW HUMIDITIES AS WELL. VERY GOOD
RADIATIONAL COOLING IS EXPECTED TONIGHT AND THE NEAR RECORD LOW
TEMPS VERBIAGE IN SOME OF THE ZONES IS RIGHT ON TRACK. DRYING LOOKS
TO CONTINUE THROUGH LATE FRIDAY. GFS STILL WANTS TO BRING IN SOME MID
LEVEL RH ON SATURDAY TO THE EASTERN HALF OF THE CWA...STILL TO EARLY
TO TELL IF THE MOISTURE WILL BE DEEP ENOUGH TO PRODUCE SHOWERS AND
THUNDER.
DL

&&

.FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.
&&

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Yavapai County Valleys and Basins

When: July 1, 12:00 AM MST to July 16, 6:00 PM MST
Where: Yavapai County Valleys and Basins forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 34.600, -112.554 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wildfire, Northern Gila County

When: July 1, 12:00 AM MST to July 16, 6:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Gila County forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 33.800, -110.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arizona in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, July 2004

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5414752, 5414753.