PHOENIX — Recreational shooting is being temporarily prohibited in three national forests in Arizona in a move that officials say will help reduce the wildfire threat.
The national forests that will be affected are the Coronado, Prescott and Tonto national forests.
The Southwestern Region of the U.S. Forest Service ordered the prohibitions to begin at 5 p.m. Wednesday and to continue until July 31 or until rescinded.
Officials said the three forests are experiencing an increase in drying trends with large amounts of grass that could be fuel for fires resulting from above-average winter moisture.
The Forest Service says the three forests have a history of shooting-related fires and that hundreds of acres have burned in the last two weeks due to fires likely caused by recreational shooting.
