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AZ here, personally witnessed smoke and/or flames from 4 wildfires in the last year. Closest one was 8 miles from where I live (Pinal Fire 7,000 acres). First fire of that size on that mountain since the 50s, already one year later and it's recovering nicely. Caused from lightning strike near pioneer pass, 1800m. Official strategy was to let it burn, with minor controlled burns to push it away from the city, I believe 600 firefighters were called out max.
One was where I drive by on my way to college (drive 380 miles a week, t. rural AZ), Frye Fire on Mt Graham 48k acres, didn't even make a mark on the mountain cannot even tell it happened 1 year later. But the endangered Mt Graham red squirrel count is now lower than ever. Caused from lightning above 2500m. Official stragety was to let it burn, with controlled burns to keep it below 3100m because the world's largest combined aperture observation telescope is at 3200m on the mountain. Over 2,000 firefighters called out.
Other one was the Highline fire near Payson, 20k acres also in 2017. Smoke drifted 50 miles south and smoked out my city for a few days. Strategy was to let it burn in remote areas and fight it near populated areas, some structures still burned. Don't know what started it.
And the fourth one was the Juniper Fire also of 2017, in the Sierra Ancha, 30k acres. Strategy was to let it burn until it died except to protect roads with fire helis and planes. Died in a couple months, monsoon rains helped kill it. Cause was lightning strike in remote unpopulated location away from campsites/trails/development. Saw it from Roosevelt Lake, they had two fire helicopters cart water from the lake to protect roadways near the fire.
And this year the closest one to me is the Tinder Fire at Blue Ridge Reservoir (beautiful high alpine conifer forest surrounding man made alpine lake), believed to be started from a camp fire.
