[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON ON ARIZONA HORIZON, THE STATE EDUCATION CHIEF TALKS ABOUT THE CONTINUED FRICTION BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

SITES ARE OPENING ACROSS THE STATE WITH NO APPOINTMENTS NEEDED, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, THE FASCINATION BEHIND RECENT UFO SIGHTINGS.

THAT'S ALL COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF ARIZONA PBS.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON," I'M TED SIMONS.

A BOOSTER DOSE OF THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON COVID VACCINE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES ANTIBODIES AGAINST THE COVID-19.

THE PRELIMINARY DATA SHOWS THAT A SECOND DOSE DELIVERED SIX MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST RESULTED IN A NINE-FOLD INCREASE IN ANTIBODIES.

J&J SAYS IT IS WORKING WITH THE CDC.

>>> MODERNA TODAY COMPLETED HIS SUBMISSION TO THE FDA FOR FULL APPROVAL OF ITS VACCINE.

THE MODERNA REMAINS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE 18 AND OLDER UNDER EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION.

>>> THE STATE ADDED MORE THAN 3200 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 AND 10 MORE FATALITIES.

AND THIS IS A REAL CONCERN FOR DR. MARJORIE BESSELL OF BANNER HEALTH.

>> IF WE DO NOT IMPROVE OUR VACCINATION RATE, AND UNVACCINATED COVID PATIENTS CONTINUE TO OCCUPY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SPACE IN OUR HOSPITALS, THERE MAY COME A TIME WHEN THAT SPACE IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR PATIENTS WITH OTHER NEEDS.

COVID IMPACTS ALL OF US.

>> THAT SAID, THE CDC PREDICTED THAT COVID HOSPITAL LYINGSES IN THE U.S. WILL REMAIN STABLE OR AT LEAST SHOW AN UNEVEN TREND IN THE COMING WEEKS.

THAT IS THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A MONTH THAT THE CDC DOESN'T CALL FOR AN INCREASE IN COVID CASES.

>>> OTHER NEWS ON CAPITOL HILL, THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING THE JANUARY 6TH RIOT AT THE U.S. CAPITOL ANNOUNCED A SWEEPING RECORDS REQUEST TODAY.

THE REQUEST INCLUDES COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND A VAST NUMBER OF AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY.

THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF WHAT WILL LIKELY BE A LENGTHY AND PARTISAN INVESTIGATION INTO THE JANUARY 6TH ASSAULT ON THE CAPITOL.

>>> TODAY MARKS THREE YEARS OF THE DEATH OF JOHN McCAIN.

CINDY McCAIN, TWEETED QUOTE: AND IN HANOI VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS VICE PRESIDENT LAID FLOWERS AT THE MONUMENT WHERE JOHN McCAIN'S PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN IN 1967.

>>> GOVERNOR DUCEY ANNOUNCED THAT HE WOULD GRANT $163 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO SCHOOLS, BUT ONLY TO THOSE SCHOOLS THAT FOLLOW STATE LAWS.

THE FUNDS COME FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, WHICH IS INTENDED TO HELP ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS REOPEN SAFELY.

WE ASKED KATHY HOFFMAN, THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION FOR HER THOUGHTS.

SUPERINTENDENT GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

LET'S START WITH SCHOOLS, AND HOW THEY ARE DOING SO FAR.

THEY ARE UP AND OPERATIONAL, BUT BOY, OH BOY, IT'S CRAZY OUT THERE.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AND HEARING?

THIS >> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF STRESS AMONG OUR SCHOOL LEADERS AND TEACHERS RIGHT NOW AS THEY HAVE KICKED OFF THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

WE HAD SO MUCH HOPE AND OPTIMISM TO HAVE A NORMAL START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND THIS YEAR THERE IS A LOT MORE WORRY, CONCERN, AND STRESS ABOUT KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE.

AND PEOPLE ARE TIRED -- WE ALL HAVE PANDEMIC FATIGUE.

WE WERE ALL HOPING THAT THIS WOULD BE EASIER THIS SCHOOL YEAR, AND WE HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH MORE THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THE KIDS BACK IN THE CLASSROOM, AND HAVING IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AGAIN, AND HAVING ALL OF THOSE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THE UNPREDICTABILITY.

>> AND THE GOVERNOR RECENTLY HAD $163 MILLION IN GRANTS, BUT ONLY FOR SCHOOLS THAT QUOTE, UNQUOTE, FOLLOW THE LAW AS OF AUGUST 27TH.

YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?

AND HOW ARE SCHOOL DISTRICTS RESPONDING TO THAT?

>> FIRST LET'S BE REALLY CLEAR WHERE THAT MONEY IS COMING FROM.

IT'S OUT OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING.

IT IS REALLY INTENDED TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS IN BEING ABLE TO STAY OPEN AND PROVIDE STABILITY AND HAVE IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.

SO THE INTENTION IS MEANT TO BE DEDICATED TOWARDS CREATING STABILITY AND KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS OPEN.

UNFORTUNATELY HOW THE GOVERNOR IS USING THIS FUNDING AND CREATING THESE GRANTS FOR SCHOOLS TO ME GOES COMPLETELY AGAINST THE INTENT.

AND IT IS BECOMING COMPLETELY POLITICAL.

IT'S PUNISHING SCHOOLS THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING POLICIES TO KEEP THEIR COMMUNITIES SAFE, SUCH AS THE MASK MANDATE TO HAVE UNIVERSAL MASKING IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SO TO ME IT'S PUTTING POLITICS INTO OUR SCHOOLS, AND REALLY MAKES THE DECISION-MAKING DIFFICULT, WHEN A SCHOOL BOARD IS TRYING TO DECIDE, SHOULD WE HAVE A POLICY PUTTING THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS FIRST, OR WHAT ABOUT THESE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT POLICY IN PLACE?

SO TO ME, I THINK IT'S REALLY DANGEROUS AND RECKLESS TO CREATE THESE KINDS OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES.

>> HOW DOES IT CHANGE THE GOAL POST -- MOVE THE GOAL POST, IF YOU WILL -- IF SOME SCHOOLS -- WE HEARD CHANDLER HAS DECIDED WE'RE GOING TO GO ALONG WITH THE GOVERNOR.

WE NEED THAT MONEY.

OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY WILL DO, BUT IF THEY GO AGAINST MASK MANDATES, DOES THAT CHANGE THE FUTURE AS FAR AS HEALTH OF CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS?

AND IF IT DOES, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH IT?

>> WE ALREADY KNOW IT DOES.

WE ALREADY HAD SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT STARTED IN MID-JULY.

ASHFORD HAS TO CLOSE THEIR SCHOOL FOR TWO WEEKS, BECAUSE THEY HAD A COUPLE OF INSTRUCTORS WHO TESTED POSITIVE.

AND THE SAN CARLOS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TRANSITIONED TO REMOTE LEARNING.

AND I HAVE HEARD COUNTLESS SITUATIONS WHERE A CLASSROOM IS QUARANTINED.

GRADE LEVEL IS QUARANTINED.

WHERE KIDS ARE SENT HOME, AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO LEARN IN THE CLASSROOM.

AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT.

WE WANT THE KIDS AT SCHOOL AND IN PERSON, SO WE ARE ALREADY SEEING EVIDENCE OF THAT, AND OF COURSE, I'M CLOSELY TRACKING THE DATA FROM THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE, AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE MOST VULNERABLE KIDS WHO HAVE MEDICAL CONDITIONS, WHO ARE AT GREATER RISK TO GET REALLY SICK FROM COVID-19, AND I HEAR THAT FROM PARENTS ALL THE TIME, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH KIDS WITH A MEDICAL CONDITION.

>> ARE YOU EXPECTING ANY ACTION FROM THE FED REALLY GOVERNMENT?

>> I'M HOPEFUL THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL FEDERAL ACTION.

I HAD A CONVERSATION FROM SECRETARY CARDONA, AND HE WAS OFFERING THE SUPPORT OF HIS OFFICE TO US, HOWEVER, WE WOULD NEED MORE ACTION COMING FROM THE U.S. TREASURY OFFICE, SO WE ARE KEEPING IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THEM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE ACTION FROM THE FEDERAL SIDE, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT KNOW THE INTENT OF THOSE DOLLARS, AND I THINK THIS IS CREATING MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

>> AND FEDERAL FUNDING IS BEING USED BY THE GOVERNOR STUDENTS AT SCHOOLS THAT DO REQUIRE MASKS.

I KNOW SCHOOLS ARE SAYING WE NEED THIS MONEY FOR OTHER THINGS.

DON'T USE IT FOR THIS.

IS THAT MESSAGE GETTING THROUGH?

>> AGAIN, I THINK WE JUST KWEEP SAYING THAT THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE FOR A POLITICAL BENEFIT, RATHER THAN WHAT IS TRULY NEEDED FOR OUR STUDENTS AND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, SO TO ME, NO, IT'S NOT HELPING, AND TO CREATE A DIFFERENT KIND OF INCENTIVE FOR FAMILIES TO WITHDRAWAL THEIR STUDENTS AND TRANSFER THEM, KOREA -- TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND IT CREATES MORE PROBLEMS THAN SOLUTIONS.

>> WE HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS HERE, SUPERINTENDENT.

WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO PARENTS?

THE >> TO EVERYONE THESE DAYS, MY MESSAGE IS HANG IN THERE, CONTINUE TO BE FLEXIBLE AND LEARN WITH US, BECAUSE THIS VIRUS -- WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY, AND IT CONTINUES TO CHANGE, AND WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM COVID-19 CONTINUES TO CHANGE.

SO STAY IN CLOSE COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR SCHOOLS ON WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO KEEP SCHOOLS SAFE, AND I THINK THAT RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, WE'RE ALL FEELING THAT FATIGUE, SO PLEASE HANG IN THERE WITH US.

>> KATHY HOFFMAN, THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING >>> UP NEXT, A VOTING RIGHTS RALLY THIS WEEKEND IN PHOENIX ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISTORIC MARCH ON WASHINGTON.

>>> VOTING RIGHTS RALLIES ARE TAKING PLACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS WEEKEND, ON THE ANNIVERSARY ON THE HISTORIC MARCH ON WASHINGTON.

THE RALLIES ARE CALLING ON CONGRESS TO ENSURE FAIR ACCESS TO THE BALLOTS.

WE LEARNED MORE CHAVEZ, GRANDSON OF CESAR CHAVEZ, AND DEPUTY STATE DIRECTOR OF ARIZONA MARCH ON FOR VOTING RIGHTS.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US IN STUDIO, TALKING ABOUT THE BIG MARCH ON SATURDAY.

MARCH FOR VOTING RIGHTS, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

>> WHAT IS THE GOAL?

>> THE GOAL OF THIS EVENT IS A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME, EVERYBODY, BLACK, BROWN, LGBTQ, ELIGIBLE SENIORS, EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY.

WE ALSO WANT TO GET READY TO LAUNCH A TWO-YEAR PLAN TO REGISTER 2 MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT ALSO PROVIDE A PATHWAY TO THE POLLS FOR PEOPLE.

WE KNOW THERE'S THE FOR THE PEOPLE ACT, AND THE JOHN LEWIS ACT, AND IN CASE THOSE DO NOT PASS, AND WE SAY WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN.

SO ON AUGUST 28TH, WE'RE COMING TOGETHER TO GET THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER AT THE CHURCH, WHERE WE WILL SHARE THE IDEAS AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY NEED.

>> AND IT IS LOCATED WHERE?

1401 JEFFERSON DOWNTOWN PHOENIX.

>> AND THIS TAKES PLACE ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISTORIC MARCH ON WASHINGTON, CORRECT?

>> YES, AND DR. KING'S SON MARTIN, WANTED TO USE THIS ANNIVERSARY TO FOCUS ON VOTING RIGHTS.

MY GRANDFATHER AND DR. KING NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO MEET, SO WHEN I SAW THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH MARTIN, DR. KING'SSON, I WAS FAN STRUCK.

>> YEAH, I WANT TO GET TO YOUR GRANDFATHER IN A SECOND HERE, BUT AS FAR AS THIS MARCH IS CONCERNED, HERE IN ARIZONA, WE HAVE COVERED THIS QUITE A BIT, AND REPUBLICANS WILL TELL US THAT ALL THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IS SECURE THE VOTING PROCESS.

IS THAT A VALID ARGUMENT?

>> THERE ISN'T BEEN ANY PROBLEMS UP TO THIS POINT.

EVERY ELECTION THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR, FOR 14 YEARS, WE HAVE NEVER HAD A QUESTION.

I HAVE ALWAYS VOTED BY MAIL HERE IN ARIZONA.

AND HERE WE ARE TEN YEARS LATER REMOVED FROM BILLS LIKE SB 1070, WHICH HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON SPECIFICALLY LATINOS, AND NOW SOMEHOW, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO PROOF, THERE IS A CHALLENGE OF THE VOTING.

>> IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH WHO ARE LOOKING FOR EXPANDING THE VOTING RIGHTS, AND THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, SUCH AS IT EXISTS ANYMORE, THE RECENT DECISION HERE IN ARIZONA REGARDING BALLOT HARVESTING AND MAKING SURE YOU VOTE IN YOUR PROPER PRECINCT.

THE CLAIMS WERE THEY WERE RACIST AND ANTI-DEMOCRATIC, AND THE SUPREME COURT SAID, NOT REALLY.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?

>> I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE MAKE UP OF THE SUPREME COURT.

LET'S REMEMBER THAT AT ONE TIME, BLACK PEOPLE HAD THREE-FIFTHS OF THE VOTE.

WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE.

AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE SEE -- THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THIS HAS HAPPENED.

IT IS JUST THE LATEST, WORST ATTEMPT, AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO FIGHT IT.

>> YOU MENTIONED YOU ARE THE GRABBED SON OF CESAR CHAVEZ.

DOES THAT PUSH YOU?

>> IT'S MORE OF THE FAMILY VALUES.

IT'S THINGS THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF.

IT'S OPPORTUNITIES THAT MY GRANDFATHER PUT BEFORE US, AND THAT HAS INSTALLED VALUES IN US THAT WE CAN'T GET AWAY FROM.

THERE IS PILLARS OF ME OF PARTICIPATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THAT ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF WHO I AM AS A BEING.

THERE ARE TIMES I WALK OUT OF THE SHOWER, AND I TELL MY WIFE, HOW CRAZY IS THIS, THAT THIS MAN -- IN WEDNESDAY IN THE MIDDLE OF MAY, I CAN BE LIKE, THIS IS WILD THAT THIS MAN IS MY GRANDFATHER.

>> YEAH, AND THE HEADLINE IS?

>> THE MESSAGE OF THIS MARCH IS THAT WE MUST PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS, AND THAT WHO EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO VOTE HAS THE ABILITY TO VOTE, ANYWHERE, ESPECIALLY HERE IN ARIZONA.

>> ALEJANDRO CHAVEZ, GRANDSON OF CESAR CHAVEZ, AND DEPUTY STATE DIRECTOR OF ARIZONA MARCH ON FOR VOTING RIGHTS, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

♪♪ >>> RECENT HEAVY RAINS RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IN GILA BEND WHERE PEOPLE WERE REPORTED KILLED AND HUNDREDS OF BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED.

ROBERT ROWLEY IS DIRECTOR OF THE MARICOPA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT JOINED US FOR MORE ON THE FLOODING.

>> ROBERT ROWLEY THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HOW MUCH DAMAGE WAS DONE BY THE FLOODING?

>> IT WAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT EVENT.

WE HAD A LOT OF WATER FALL OVER A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

ALMOST 4 INCHES IS WHAT I LAST HEARD DOWN THERE, AND WHENEVER YOU HAVE THAT MUCH WATER FALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND IT HITS THE RIGHT SPOT, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING ISSUES, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT WE SAW.

>> WE HAD TWO DEAD AND 30 RESCUED.

DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT?

>> YEAH THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.

IT WAS A VERY BUSY MORNING.

>> HOW MANY ARE STILL EFFECTED IN GILA BEND?

>> EVERYBODY WHO HAD WATER IN THEIR HOMES.

IT'S A TERRIBLE THING TO SEE WHEN YOU GET DOWN THERE.

WHEN YOU GET INTO AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN FLOODED, AND YOU SEE WHAT IS LEFT BEHIND AFTER THE FLOODING, AND THE WATER, AND MUD, AND DEBRIS LEFT IN PEOPLE'S HOMES, AND THEY HAVE TO TEAR OFF ALL OF THE WALLS, AND THE SUBFLOORING, AND THEY STILL HAVE A LONG ROAD AHEAD OF THEM FOR RECOVERY, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE PROVIDING ANY HELP WE CAN.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT HELP.

WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE?

>> RIGHT.

SO THE DAY OF THE FLOOD AND THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH, OBVIOUSLY WE HAD OUR FIRST RESPONDERS DOWN THERE WHO WERE RIGHT THERE IN THE THICK OF IT.

HELP PEOPLE ON TO THEIR ROOFS, AND PULLING THEM OFF OF THEIR ROOFS.

WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE ROADS OPEN AGAIN, GET THE STREETS CLEARED, GET ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BACK UP AND RUNNING.

SO ONE, WE'RE IN BETTER SHAPE IF WE SEE ANOTHER EVENT, BECAUSE THE MONSOON SEASON ISN'T OVER, AND TWO, TO TRY TO GET THE BUSINESSES UP AND RUNNING, AND GET PEOPLE'S YARDS AND HOMES CLEARED, SO THEY CAN GET BACK TO LIVING THEIR LIVES.

WE WERE OBVIOUSLY DOWN THERE TO DO OUR DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS.

WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AFFAIRS, AND SEE IF WE CAN GET STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE FORM OF FEMA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, AND INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE.

BOTH OF THOSE SOURCES OF FUNDING ARE -- THEY ARE TOUGH THRESHOLDS TO GET OVER FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR COSTS.

WE NEED TO HAVE EXPENDITURES IN EXCESS OF $15 MILLION.

AND INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE, IT'S A LITTLE TOUGHER, BUT YOU DO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE -- THE NUMBER OF RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES THAT WERE EFFECTED, AND THEN -- THE SOCIOECONOMIC PROFILE IN THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS UNINSURED LOSS AND INSURED LOSS, SO THAT IS MORE COMPLICATED COMPLICATED.

>> YEAH, THE MAYOR SAID THERE IS NO GUARANTEE.

REAL QUICKLY BEFORE YOU GO.

I KNOW YOU ARE WORKING HERE IN MARICOPA COUNTY.

BUT YOU USED TO HAVE WORK IN COCONINO COUNTY.

YOU SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN FLAGSTAFF AND MIAMI GLOBE WITH THESE BURN AREAS.

REAL QUICKLY, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS?

>> SURE.

WHAT I WILL SAY, FIRST, IN WHAT IS GOING ON IN FLAGSTAFF IS THEY HAVE DONE AN -- AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF WORK OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO BE READY FOR THIS VERY INCIDENT, WHICH IS RAIN AROUND THE BURN SCAR.

BUT IN ARIZONA, UNLIKE CALIFORNIA, WE HAVE A VERY SHORT, BUT VERY INTENSE FIRE SEASON.

IT GETS VERY HOT, DRY, AND WINDY, AND THOSE ARE ALL THE PERFECT COMBINATIONS TO GET VERY INTENSE FIRES, AND THEN IT IS ENDED BY THE MONSOON SEASON WHEN IT STARTS.

SO OUR FIRE SEASON ENDS WHEN WE START GETTING THUNDERSTORM AND MAJOR RAIN EVENTS IN -- YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND WITH THAT KIND OF RAIN, IT'S THOSE BURN SCARS THAT HAD VERY INTENSE FIRES.

THAT WATER COMES DOWN, AND DOESN'T SOAK IN, AND TAKES ALL OF THAT ASH AND DEBRIS WITH IT, AND CREATES INTENSE FLOODING.

SO OFTENTIMES WE HAVE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE JUST BEEN IMPACTED BY A MAJOR WILDFIRE, AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT, THEY ARE SEEING MAJOR FLOODING OCCUR.

SO IT'S A ONE-TWO PUNCH.

GILA BEND WAS NOT A BURN-SCAR-RELATED FLOOD EVENT, BUT CERTAINLY MIAMI GLOBE, THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE SAYING UP IN FLAGSTAFF, AND IT'S VERY COMMON UNFORTUNATELY, AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO LITTLE TIME TO GET THINGS READY FOR THE MONSOON SEASON.

>> YEAH.

SIR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR YOU.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

ON ON CRONKITE NEWS, NEW VACCINE SITES ARE OPENING ACROSS THE STATE WITH NO APPOINTMENTS NEEDED, THE, AND -- AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, THE FASCINATION BEHIND RECENT UFO SIGHTINGS.