English: Following a dry winter, the forests and grasslands of Arizona are filled with abundant fuel for fires - so it is no surprise the 2016 fire season is off to an active and early start.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite flew over that southwestern state on June 2, 2016, and captured this true-color image of multiple fires and heavy smoke in the mountains of Arizona. The two most notable fires seen in this image are the Mormon Fire (north) burning in Coconino National Forest and the Juniper Fire (south) which was burning in Tonto National Forest.

Both fires were ignited by lightning strikes in late May. The Mormon Fire is located about 6 miles east of Munds Park near Mormon Mountain and is a low-intensity fire, creeping across the forest floor. Forest managers consider such low-intensity fires to be part of the natural ecosystem with a net positive impact on the forest. They reduce fuels and the risk of severe wildfire, creating safer conditions for the public and firefighters, as well as encouraging fresh understory vegetation growth which helps maintain and restore wildlife habitat. Although permitted to burn, the Mormon Fire is being actively managed to limit spread and meet multiple benefits and objectives within Forest Service defined perimeters. The Mormon Fire has burned 7,892 acres as of June 8.

The Juniper Fire ignited on May 17 approximately 10 miles south of Young, Arizona and has consumed 28,504 acres of predominantly ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, and oak shrub. Because it is a higher intensity fire that poses potential danger to homes and structures as well as historic, archaeological and cultural sites as well as a danger to natural resources, firefighters have been battling to extinguish the blaze as well and to prevent spread to sensitive areas. As of June 8, 512 personnel were battling the Juniper Fire, which was only 20% contained.

Also as of June 8, InciWeb Incident Information System reported 21 active fires in Arizona, eighteen of which were wildfires and three which were set deliberately and used for land management (prescribed burns). Firefighting efforts are being hindered by Red Flag conditions (extreme fire hazard), with record high temperatures and single digit humidity.