By Barby Ingle, BSc
Vice President, International Pain Foundation
Candidate, Arizona House of Representatives
Over the years I have traveled to Williams, Arizona for personal and business reasons. Each visit brings a similar scene of neat piles of cut brush lining the roads and the steady drift of smoke from controlled burns climbing the slopes of Bill Williams Mountain Range. I see local crews clearly working hard to remove the fuel that could feed a catastrophic fire.
While the area has not had a catastrophic fire in the last 50 years or more, it has experienced a few smaller, highly contained incidents. Including the 2009 Twin Fire that was suppressed at around 950 acres and the 2022 Bill Fire that burned less than an acre. A catastrophic fire has been avoided according to the USDA. To keep it that way, a collaborative agreement involving the Kaibab National Forest and Coconino County has been put in place to clear hazardous fuels. This preventative work is meant to avert the massive economic and infrastructural damage a mega-fire on the mountain’s steep slopes could cause.
Yet when I talk with year-round residents, the message is consistent: the work is good, but it is not enough. Williams sits in one of the highest wildfire-danger zones in the United States. A major fire on the mountain would not stop at the ridgeline. It would trigger massive post-fire flooding and debris flows that could destroy homes, schools, businesses, water supplies, State Route 66, and the Grand Canyon Railway. This would erase the small-town Americana character that defines this community. A study commissioned by Coconino County from Northern Arizona University puts the potential economic toll as significant; costing between $379 million and $694 million. This is not a distant hypothetical. Coconino County officials have already designated Williams as their top priority for post-wildfire flood risk. Recent outlooks from Arizona fire officials and the National Interagency Fire Center warn of an above-normal wildfire season, with red-flag warnings already appearing across northern Arizona. Decades of fuel buildup on steep slopes have created a powder keg. Controlled burns and thinning projects help, but we must move faster if we are going to stay ahead of the next ignition.
The sentiment from locals I have spoken with say, we clear what we can, but one spark and our house, the schools, businesses, etc. could be gone in a single afternoon. Most are not angry about it, just that it’s a fact of life. The people of Williams love the small town so much and it is one of my favorite places to visit too. I want to help keep it the strong vibrant town far into the future.
No single agency can solve this fire abatement alone. Real progress will continue as the city, county, citizens and state/federal leaders work in concert.
The Williams City Council and Mayor are already leading on the ground. They are updating local wildfire plans, reminding residents to create defensible space around homes, and ensuring that both new construction and existing properties follow simple, common-sense safety standards. Actions such as keeping flammable vegetation away from structures, for example. These low-cost, high-impact steps protect lives and property without heavy new regulations or higher taxes. Neighbors can help too: if you spot a fire hazard on your block, speak up and pitch in on clean-up days if your physically able.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors has correctly named Williams its highest post-fire flood priority. They must now accelerate implementation of those plans, secure additional emergency resources, and strengthen coordination between local needs and state and federal firefighting crews. I know its on their minds as I have spoken with Tammy Ontiveros and Bruce Sall about fire abatement options to secure their districts and the region.
At the state level, the Arizona Legislature can provide the decisive support for rural community’s needs. Lawmakers should direct targeted infrastructure funding to speed up forest-health projects on public lands, cut the bureaucratic red tape that delays critical work, and offer practical assistance to private landowners who want to clear their own property. These steps maintain strong safety standards while allowing projects to finish faster. As a candidate for the Arizona House, I will fight every session for the resources and policy changes that give communities like Williams the safety tools they deserve.
When local residents, businesses, city government, the county, and the state align, we get more than fire safe slopes. We get steady, measurable progress and the peace of mind that our families, homes, and livelihoods are safer. Williams is the Gateway to the Grand Canyon, the heart of Route 66 charm, and a place where parents raise children and grandparents enjoy their later years. We owe it to every one of them to protect that future.
The controlled burns we already see are proof that action is underway. The local voices calling for more show the will is here. Now is the moment for our elected leaders at every level to match that will with urgency and coordination. Williams has always been a town of resilient, caring people who look out for one another. By treating our mountain with the care it demands, we honor that spirit and secure a safer tomorrow for every home and business at its base.
Let us give our mountains and the community that depends on it, the protection needed so the Arizona way of life endures for generations to come.
I invite you to join me at a community meet-and-greet at The Rodeo Restaurant, where we can continue this vital conversation. Please come by on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, from noon to 4 p.m. at 950 N. Grand Canyon Blvd. in Williams. The event is hosted by John Moore, and my campaign will provide snacks and refreshments. It’s family-friendly and open to everyone. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas as we work together to build a safer future for Williams.
