Two recent pre-wildfire studies from the Coconino County Flood Control District confirm that there is a significant wildfire and post-wildfire flood threat in the Upper Rio De Flag Watershed above Flagstaff, with potential to cause substantial economic impacts to the region.
Spanning 21,500 acres on the western side of the San Francisco Peaks, the Upper Rio De Flag Watershed is a heavily forested area comprised of steep slopes and drainages that feed into the Rio De Flag—Flagstaff’s primary waterway. In 2022, the Pipeline Fire burned a small portion of this watershed above Schultz...