>> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON: THE IMPACT OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION... PLANS TO STOP RECOMMENDING FLOURIDE IN DRINKING WATER... ALSO TONIGHT WE'LL HEAR FROM THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE MANAGEMENT ABOUT THE UPCOMING WILDFIRE SEASON... AND, AN ICONIC VALLEY CHEF SHARES HER STORY IN A NEW MEMOIR.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE, NEXT, ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

GOVERNOR HOBBS TODAY SAID THAT SHE WILL VETO ALL BILLS THAT REACH HER DESK UNTIL THE LEGISLATURE COMPROMISES ON A FUNDING PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY PROGRAMS.

AT ISSUE IS MORE THAN $22 MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR ARIZONA'S DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, WHICH SERVES THOSE WITH AUTISM, DOWN SYNDROME, CEREBRAL PALSY AND OTHER CONDITIONS.

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS ARE CALLING THE GOVERNOR'S MOVE, QUOTE, "POLITICAL BLACKMAIL."

OF NOTE: GOVERNORS DOUG DUCEY AND JAN BREWER ALSO USED VETO THREATS IN DEALING WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE LEGISLATURES.

THE U.S. SUPREME COURT TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT IT'S DECIDED TO HEAR ARGUMENTS OVER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ENDING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP.

NO REASON WAS GIVEN BY THE COURT AND THE DECISION WAS UNSIGNED, BUT THE COURT SAID THAT IT WILL HEAR THE CASE IN A FEW WEEKS.

THE JUSTICES ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER WILL REMAIN PAUSED WHILE THE COURT CONSIDERS THE CASE.

FALLOUT FROM FED CHAIR JEROME POWELL WARNING YESTERDAY ABOUT THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF TARIFFS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP TODAY LASHED OUT AT THE FED CHAIR, SAYING THAT POWELL'S, QUOTE, "TERMINATION CAN'T COME FAST ENOUGH."

THE PRESIDENT LATER THREATENED TO PERSONALLY REMOVE POWELL.

>>> I DON'T THINK HE'S DOING THE JOB.

HE'S TOO LATE.

ALWAYS TOO LATE.

A LITTLE SLOW, AND I'M NOT HAPPY WITH HIM.

I LET HIM KNOW IT, AND IF I WANT HIM OUT, HE'LL BE OUT OF THERE REAL FAST, BELIEVE ME.

THE FEDERAL RESERVE IS AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY.

POWELL HAS SAID THAT HE WILL NOT LEAVE OFFICE BEFORE HIS TERM EXPIRES NEXT YEAR.

INTEREST RATES ARE UP.

THE AVERAGE RATE FOR A 30-YEAR FIXED MORTGAGE WAS AT 6.83 PERCENT THIS WEEK.

THAT'S UP ABOUT 2/10THS OF A POINT FROM LAST WEEK, AND IT'S THE LARGEST SINGLE-WEEK RATE HIKE IN NEARLY A YEAR.

ANALYSTS POINT TO TARIFF HIKES AND TRADE WARS FOR A RECENT SELL-OFF IN U.S. BONDS.

THAT SAID, THE AVERAGE RATE FOR A 30- YEAR FIXED IS STILL BELOW WHAT IT WAS AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

AND, A HEALTH NOTE: A NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT WALKING FAST CAN HELP YOUR HEART, MOST NOTABLY HEART RHYTHM ABNORMALITIES.

THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THOSE WHO WALK AT A BRISK PACE HAVE AT LEAST A 35 PERCENT LOWER RISK OF ABNORMAL HEART RHYTHMS WHEN COMPARED TO SLOW WALKERS.

THE FINDINGS ARE BASED ON A FOUR-YEAR STUDY OF MORE THAN, 500,000 ADULTS.

HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THAT ATRIAL FIBRILLATION CAN LEAD TO A GREAT CHANCE OF SUFFERING STROKES AND HEART ATTACKS.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. SAYS THAT HE WANTS THE CDC TO STOP RECOMMENDING FLOURIDATION IN DRINKING WATER.

KENNEDY IS CITING WHAT HE CALLS "NEW SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION" ON THE POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS OF FLOURIDATION.

JOINING US NOW IS WILL HUMBLE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARIZON PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION.

OF WILL, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> WHAT IS FLUORIDE.

>> IT'S ON THE PERIODIC TABLE.

IT'S A MINERAL THAT WHEN IT'S IN DRINK WATER PROVIDES EXTRA PROTECTION FOR YOUR TEETH SO THAT YOU'RE LESS LIKELY TO GET CAVITIES.

SO IT'S PERHAPS THE NUMBER 1 ORAL HEALTH INTERVENTION OF THE LAST CENTURY, MAYBE OF ALL TIME, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES REALLY GOOD PROTECTION AGAINST CAVITIES.

IN FACT, PROPERLY FLUORIDATED WATER REDUCES THE PREVALENCE OF CAVITYS AND TOOTH DECAY 25%.

>> HOW LONG HAS FLUORIDE BEEN IN DRINKING WATER?

>> IT GOES BACK TO THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST CENTURY.

SO IN THE 1960s, ET CETERA, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CITIES BEGAN TO USE THAT PUBLIC HEALTH EVIDENCE TO START FLUORIDATING WATER, AND IT GREW FROM THERE.

AT THIS POINT, WE'RE IN KIND OF A STASIS OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, AT LEAST IN ARIZONA WHERE THE CITIES THAT FLUORIDATE IN ARIZONA, PHOENIX, FOR EXAMPLE, TEMPE, GLENDALE, MESA, CHANDLER, THEY ALL FLUORIDATE THEIR WATER TO OPTIMAL LEVELS.

BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF PLACES IN THE STATE THAT DON'T.

TUCSON, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS NEVER FLUORIDATED.

PARADISE VALLEY, SCOTTSDALE, CAREFREE DO NOT EITHER.

>> DO WE KNOW WHY THEY DON'T, THOSE AREAS DON'T?

>> THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE BY CITY COUNCILS.

SO LIKE KENNEDY SAYS, HE'S AGAINST FLUORIDATION IN DRINKING WATER.

THAT'S NOT AN ED EED TAKE CAN COME FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

THEY CAN PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDANCE BUT IT'S CITY COUNCILS WHO MAKE THE DECISION TO INVEST THE MONEY IN THE ENGINEERING THAT ALLOWS THE WATER PEOPLE TO ADD THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FLUORIDE TO THE WATER SYSTEM.

SO IT'S A CITY COUNCIL DECISION ULTIMATELY.

>> WHY DO SOME PEOPLE OPPOSE FLUORIDE IN DRINKING WATER?

>> WELL, I WAS AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN PHOENIX IN 2012, I THINK.

AND THE KINDS OF THINGS THEY WERE URGING THE CITY COUNCIL AND PHOENIX TO STOP FLUORIDATING WATER, THEY WERE SAYING JUST PREPOSTEROUS STUFF THAT HAS NO BASIS IN EVIDENCE.

>> LIKE WHAT?

>> LIKE MIND CONTROL.

I MEAN, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS -- LIKE IT'S A MIND CONTROL THING.

SO, PREPOSTEROUS, OF COURSE, BUT, YOU KNOW -- AND WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVING SOURCES OF INFORMATION THAT AREN'T CHECKED WHERE THERE'S NO EDITORIAL REVIEW, THAT STUFF BEGINS TO MUSHROOM AND BECOMES WORSE AND WORSE OVER TIME.

ALTHOUGH, I HAVE TO SAY IT'S NOT LIKE WE'VE SEEN A BIGGIE OCEAN IN CITIES DROPPING FLUORIDATION IN THEIR DRINKING WATER IN ARIZONA YET.

>> YET.

OKAY.

FOX NEWS, META ANALYSIS SHOWS POSSIBLE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS FROM HAVING FLUORIDE IN DRINKING WATER, MOSTLY ON HEALTH OF PREGNANT WOMEN AND INFANTS.

AND THEY GOT SOMETHING THERE?

>> I HAVE NOT SEEN WHATEVER META ANALYSIS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

I CAN SAY I'VE LOOKED AT THE LITERATURE FREQUENTLY, AND I KNEW I WAS COMING ON THIS SHOW SO I LOOKED AT IT AGAIN.

I DIDN'T SEE THAT META ANALYSIS.

WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT THERE ARE MANY SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS -- SO, YOU CAN HAVE INDIVIDUAL STUDIES ABOUT WHAT FLUORIDE DOES AND DOESN'T DO AND WHAT THE POTENTIAL HARMS ARE TO JUST EVALUATE THAT STUFF, AND THEN YOU CAN DO WHAT'S CALLED A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW WHERE YOU DO A STUDY OF THE STUDY, AND THOSE SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS CONSISTENTLY SHOW THAT IT'S SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

SO NOW I HAVE TO SAY, IF THE WATER HAS MORE THAN ONE PART PER MILLION, THE RECOMMENDATION IS 0.7.

2% OF THE PEOPLE WILL GET LIKE WHAT'S CALLED FLUOROSIS, WHICH IS A DISCOLORING OF THE ENAMEL, WHICH IS COSMETIC.

AND THAT'S THE EFFECT.

>> OKAY.

BUT HERE'S SOME OTHER CLAIMS.

HARMFUL IMPACT ON BONE STRENGTH.

HARMFUL IMPACT ON THYROID FUNCTION, AND HARMFUL IMPACT ON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT.

>> SO WITH BONE STRENGTH, THERE'S -- WITH BONE STRENGTH, THAT HAPPENS ABOVE FOUR PARTS PER MILLION.

SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FLUORIDATING WATER 0.7, LESS THAN 1 PART PER I MILLION.

WHEN YOU GET OVER 4, YOU CAN START TO HAVE THOSE SKELETAL PROBLEMS LIKE IN THAT STUDY.

THAT'S WHY THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY SAYS YOU CAN'T HAVE WATER THAT DELIVERS MORE THAN 4 PARTS PER MILLION.

LIKE 0.7 IS HELPFUL, JUST LIKE EVERYTHING IN TOXICOLOGY, BY THE WAY.

THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU LEARN IN TOXICOLOGY IS THAT THE DOSE MAKES THE POISON.

SO IT'S THERAPEUTIC AT 0.7.

IT STARTS TO BECOME POTENTIALLY HARMFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO DRINK A LOT OF WATER OVER 4.

BUT OUR WATER SYSTEMS DON'T HAVE THAT BECAUSE THE EPA STOPS YOU AT 4.

>> AND YET, RFK JR.

SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT THE BENEFITS TO FLUORIDE, THEY'RE MOSTLY TOPICAL, THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO INGEST FLUORIDE, AND BY INGESTING FLUORIDE, YOU'RE ASKING FOR TROUBLE.

YES, FLUORIDE IS GOOD FOR THE ENAMEL, THEN DON'T -- BUT DON'T INGEST IT.

>> WELL, THEN HE'S PRO-CAVITY.

>> BUT DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S SAYING.

HE'S SAYING IT CAN'T BE IN THE DRINKING WATER.

IT'S OKAY FOR TOOTHPASTE AND EVERYTHING TOPICAL.

>> I SAW THAT STUDY, I REREAD THAT STUDY BEFORE THE SHOW.

DRINKING -- EVEN THOUGH THERE IS FLUORIDE IN TOOTHPASTE AND SO FORTH, IT -- WHEN YOU ADD IT IN DRINKING WATER, THERE IS STILL A PROTECTIVE EFFECT, AND IN FACT, THE WATER FLUORIDATION RECOMMENDED LEVEL USED TO BE 1 PART PER MILLION BUT BECAUSE OF ALL OF THOSE OTHER SOURCE IN TOOTHPASTE THAT HAVE BECOME MORE COMMON OVER THE LAST 20 OR 30 YEARS, CDC REDUCED THAT RECOMMENDATION TO 0.7, SO THEY'RE USING THE EVIDENCE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES -- THEY'VE USE THE EVIDENCE TO HELP GUIDE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS.

AND WE'VE TALKED ON THE SHOW BEFORE ABOUT MY BIGGEST CONCERN ABOUT MR. KENNEDY WAS HIS LACK OF USING EVIDENCE TO DRIVE HIS OPINIONS.

AND THAT'S ONE THING WHEN YOU'RE A LAWYER SUING PEOPLE, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THING WHEN YOU HAVE THE POWER OF THE STATE.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

>> ONE MORE RFK STATEMENT HERE, THE MORE FLUORIDE YOU GET, THE LOWER YOUR IQ IS GOING TO BE.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE'S GETTING THAT.

>> OKAY.

WHEN HE WANTS THE CDC TO MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION, AS YOU MENTIONED, CITY COUNCIL HAS HAD TO FIGURE THIS OUT, THIS IS LOCAL, THIS ISN'T NATIONAL.

HOWEVER, THE CDC RECOMMENDATION IN AND OF ITSELF, HOW BIG A DEAL IS THAT?

>> DEPENDS ON THE JURISDICTION, YOU KNOW.

I -- LIKE TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY OF PHOENIX.

IF THE CITY OF PHOENIX -- IF THE CDC WERE UNDER MR. KENNEDY'S REIN AS SECRETARY TO SAY WE DON'T THINK HE SHOULD FLUORIDATE WATER I DON'T THINK THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE COMPELLED TO DROP FLUOROQUINOLONES EYED BECAUSE OF THAT.

ARE THERE JURISDICTIONS THAT WOULD RESPECT HIM AND THIS PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION ENOUGH TO DROP IT?

YEAH, THAT COULD HAPPEN, I THINK.

>> WELL, HUMBLE, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> YEAH, TOUR SURE.

ARIZONA CAN EXPECT A, QUOTE "CRITICAL" WILDFIRE SEASON IN THE COMING MONTHS.

THAT'S DUE TO YEARS OF SEVERE DROUGHT AND MONTHS OF EXTREME SHORT-TERM DROUGHT.

TO LEARN MORE, WE WELCOME JOHN TRUETT, FIRE MANAGEMENT OFFICER WITH THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE MANAGEMENT.

AWARD-WINNING CHEF SILVANA SALCALCIDO ESPARZA HAS SPENT DECADES CHALLENGING THE CULINARY WORLD, ALONG WITH ADVOCATING FOR UNDER-REPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.

ESPARZA'S MEMOIR LOOKS BACK AT HER LIFE BREAKING BARRIERS AND CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO.

A LOT OF RAINFALL HAS NOT HAPPENED, BASICALLY WE'RE IN A DROUGHT THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

OUR FIELD MOISTURES ARE VERY, VERY CRITICAL RIGHT NOW.

>> WHEN IS THE WILDFIRE SEASON IN ARIZONA?

>> YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WE'LL START AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR, BUT ANY MORE WITH THE -- WHETHER WE PUT IT ON CLIMATE CHANGE OR WHATEVER, FIRE SEASON IS YEAR AROUND ANYMORE.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE IT.

IF NOTHING ELSE, IS IT STARTING EARLIER?

>>th STARTING EARLIER, AND WE'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE FIRES, LIKE SAY THIS YEAR WE HAD THE HORDEN FIRE UP IN THE PAYSON AREA AROUND CHRISTMAS.

WE DON'T HAVE FIRES LIKE, THAT YOU KNOW, IN THAT ELEVATION THIS TIME OF YEAR.

THAT'S UNPRECEDENTED.

THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER WE THE BAUDY FIRE UP IN PRESCOTT, WHICH WOULD BASICALLY CLEAN BURN ALMOST 500 ACRES.

YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE TYPE OF FIRE BEHAVIOR, FIRE ACTIVITY THAT TIME OF YEAR.

SO WE'RE IN A CRITICAL SITUATION.

>> AND THOSE FIRES WERE BECAUSE OF DROUGHTS FOR THE MOST PART.

NOT HIGH TEMPERATURES.

>> EXACTLY.

IF IT WASN'T FOR IT BEING THAT TIME OF YEAR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPLOSIVE FIRES.

>> SO WHEN THE FIRE SEASON DOES START, THOUGH, WHEN THE SUMMER DOES HIT, HOW MUCH DO THESE HIGHER TEMPERATURES ESPECIALLY IMPACT WHAT YOU EXPECT TO SEE?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA CONTINUE WITH THE DRYING OF THE VEGETATION.

IT'S ALREADY AT A CRITICAL LEVEL.

IT'S JUST GOING TO ACCELERATE.

WE'RE 3 TO 4 WEEKS AHEAD OF THE MOISTURE AND THE BRUSH, SO IT'S BASICALLY ALMOST LIKE MID-MAY NOW.

>> WOW.

WHAT PARTS OF STATE ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE MOST?

LOWER ELEVATIONS?

HIGHER ELEVATIONS OR THE WHOLE THING?

>> THE WHOLE STATE.

USUALLY WE CAN GO OFF ELEVATION SEASONALITY THIS YEAR, EVERY ELEVATION, EVERY FUEL TYPE WAS HIT WITH THAT DROUGHT.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WIDESPREAD, ALL THE WAY FROM HIGHER ELEVATIONS TO LOW DESERTS, BEING ABLE TO BURN AT THE SAME TIME.

>> IS THERE ANY INDICATION OF THE MONSOON GETTING HERE A LITTLE EARLIER?

FIRST OF ALL, THERE ANY INDICATION OF AN EARLY ARRIVAL OF THE MONSOON?

SECONDLY, IS THAT A GOOD THING?

>> IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING BECAUSE IT WOULD SHORTEN UP OUR FIRE SEASON, OBVIOUSLY.

AND WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TELLING US, USUALLY FOLLOWING A DRY WINTER, IT'S A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF AN EARLY ONSET OR AN -- YOU KNOW, A NORMAL ONSET OF MONSOON.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT STAYS TRUE.

>> AND I ASK IS IT A GOOD THING BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS MONSOON JUST MEANS DRY LIGHTNING AND DRY LIGHTNING MEANS STARTING FIRES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

>> EXACTLY.

SO THE THE FIRST PART OF THE SEASON IT DOES COME IN DRY, SO THAT WILL BE PROBLEMATIC FOR US.

AND THEN AGAIN IF WE CAN GET THAT EARLIER MOISTURE THAT TAKES THE PRESSURE OFF ALL OF THE ARIZONA FIRE SERVICE.

>> WHAT KIND OF MITIGATION EFFORTS HAVE BEEN DONE SO FAR.

>> YOU KNOW, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 22 MILLION ACRES, AND THIS YEAR THE DEPARTMENT HAS TREATED OVER 25,000 ACRES, AND WE'RE CONCENTRATING THOSE ON MORE STRATEGIC AREAS TO WHERE THEY CAN BENEFIT ON SOME COMMUNITY PROTECTION.

>> WHAT IS TREAT HEARING?

th BASICALLY TAKING THE VEGETATION THAT -- THE OVERGROWTH OF THE VEGETATION AND THINNING IT DOWN TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE IN A NATURAL STATE.

>> IS THAT PROCESS -- BECAUSE I THINK ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN IN THE HIGH COUNTRY HAS SEEN SOME OF THESE CONTROLLED BURNS, HAVE YOU GUYS LEARNED THINGS OVER THE YEARS REGARDING MITIGATION EFFORTS?

>> NO, BUT THE FUNDING IS REALLY INTERESTING AND ALLOWED US TO COMPLETE MORE ACRES.

>> ARE YOU WORKING WITH FEDERAL AND LOCAL PARTNER AS SOON AS.

>> YES.

>> HOW'S THAT WORK?

>> IT'S WORKING REALLY WELL.

WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL A GOOD NEIGHBOR AUTHORITY.

WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCIES.

OUR SHERIFFS DO WORK WITH ANOTHER AGREEMENT AND EVERYTHING IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCIES.

>> ARE NATIONAL RESOURCES LIKE THEY'VE BEEN IN THE PAST, IS THERE SOME CONCERN THERE?

>> WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND THEN THE FEDERAL RESOURCES, THE FIRE SERVICE AND THE FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE NOT BEING AFFECTED.

SO WE SHOULD HAVE OUR COMPLEMENT OF RESOURCES THAT WE CAN COUNT ON FROM OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.

>> THAT'S ENCOURAGING BUT IF YOU HAVE A BAD WILDFIRE SEASON IN CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO, COLORADO, WHATEVER, ARE THE ARIZONA FIREFIGHTERS, ARE THEY GONNA BE AS AMENABLE TO HELPING OUT IN OTHER AREAS?

>> WE ALWAYS WILL BE.

WE ALWAYS WILL STAFF AND HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO COVER THE STATE, SO, YEAH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP OUT.

>> NO BIG CONCERNS THERE, THEN?

>> ONLY IF IT GETS VERY, VERY ACTIVE.

THE ONLY CONCERN IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH COVERAGE FOR OUR STATE.

>> AS FAR AS WILDFIRES IN ARIZONA ARE CONCERNED, ARE MOST OF THEM HUMAN CAUSED?

>> MOST ARE HUMAN CAUSED.

WHETHER IT'S DRAGGING CHANGE, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF NOT BEING AWARE OF THEIR AREA AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

YEAH, AT LEAST 70 TO 80% OF THE FIRE ARE HUMAN CAUSED.

>> LEAVING CAMP FIRES UNINTENDED.

>> EXACTLY.

>> I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE BECAUSE I NEVER UNDERSTOOD THIS CONCEPT OF DRAG CHAINS.

I DON'T SEE A LOT OF CHAINS BEING DRAGGED ON HIGHWAYS AND THINGS.

BUT THERE WAS AN INCIDENT HERE RECENTLY WHERE JUST ONE CHAIN SPARKED HOW MANY FIRES?

>> WE HAD 18 FIRES WITHIN A 20-MILE STRETCH.

>> BECAUSE ONE CHAIN WAS DRAGGING BEHIND A TRUCK OR SOMETHING?

>> EXACTLY.

AND THAT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW DRY THE VEGETATION IS.

USUALLY SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON AN AVERAGE MAYBE GET, YOU KNOW, A HANDFUL OF STARTS.

BUT EVERY SPARK THAT CAME OFF THAT CHAIN STARTED A FIRE.

>> WOW, SO CRITICAL CONDITION IF YOU YOU COULD ASK FOR ONE THING WHAT WOULD IT BE.

>> GET BACK ON A NORMAL CYCLE, GET SOME MOISTURE IN THE GROUND AND RETURN TO A NORMAL CYCLE OF WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL.

>> YEAH, JOHN TRUIT, ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE.

GOOD LUCK THIS SEASON, I HOPE WE GET YOU BACK AT END OF FIRE SEASON AND WE CAN SAY THAT'S A LOT BETTER THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT.

>> I'M HOPING TOO.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

AWARD-WINNING CHEF SILVANA SALCALCIDO ESPARZA HAS SPENT DECADES CHALLENGING THE CULINARY WORLD, ALONG WITH ADVOCATING FOR UNDER-REPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.

ESPARZA'S MEMOIR LOOKS BACK AT HER LIFE BREAKING BARRIERS AND CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO.

SHE'LL BE AT CHANGING HANDS IN PHOENIX TOMORROW FOR A BOOK SIGNING AND DISCUSSION.

WE WELCOME CHEF SILVANA SALCIDO ESPARZA TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> THIS BOOK IS NEW, CORRECT?

>> YES.

>> WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO WRITE A MEL NOR EASTER.

>> WELL, BEFORE COULD I GIVE YOU THE RECIPE FOR THE GUACAMOLE, FOR EXAMPLE, I GOTTA TELL YOU ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THAT AVOCADO, AND THEN WHILE I'M TELLING YOU ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE AVOCADO, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE APPROPRIATION, THE COLONIZATION, THE COMMODIFICATION OF THE AVOCADO, AND THEN WE'LL MAKE DIP.

AND ALSO THE -- CAUSING THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY TO BECOME EXTINCT.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HEAVY RECIPE BEFORE I COULD DO THAT.

>> IT IS.

BUT YOU DID THAT.

DID YOU WRITE A MEMOIR.

IT IS ABOUT YOU.

IT'S ABOUT OBVIOUSLY THE MANY THINGS THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, THE MANY THINGS YOU'VE DONE.

WAS IT DIFFICULT TO PUT ALL THIS STUFF INTO WORDS?

>> YES.

THAT'S I WROTE A DRAFT LAST YEAR, AND I TESTED THE WATERS ON A FEW THINGS.

AND THEN I CAME BACK WITH THIS WHAT DID THE QUARTERS WATERS TELL YOU WHEN YOU TESTED THEM?

>> THAT I DON'T WANT TO GO WITH A PUBLISHER.

>> THAT I'LL BE ANTI-COLONIAL AND BE A SELF PUBLISHER, AND HERE I SIT, RIGHT, I HAVE TO HUSTLE MY OWN BOOKS, MIGHT AS WELL GET THE MONEY AND DO GOOD THINGS WITH IT LIKE BUILD A SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS THAT'S FREE.

>> YEAH, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOU AND YOUR LIFE BUT FOOD, THE AVOCADO KIND OF GOT YOU HERE.

TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT AND IMPORTANCE OF FOOD IN YOUR LIFE.

>> I COME FROM 100 YEARS OF BAKING FROM SPAIN AND COLONIAL MEXICO, AND I SAW MY FATHER IN A BAKERY.

YOU I SAW HIS FATHER AT HIS BAKERY.

AND BAKE WASN'T FOR ME, BUT THE IMPORTANT OF NESCO'S WORLD HERITAGE FOOD LIKE MEXICAN IS, AND YOU CAN INTERTWINE BOTH AS ONE.

>> I'M TRYING TO GET TO YOUR FOOD HISTORY BEFORE WE GET TO THE OTHER CONCERNS.

WAS THERE A TIME IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO SPEND YOUR LIFE AROUND FOOD PROFESSIONALLY.

>> AGE 15.

>> 15, HUH?

HOW SO, WHAT HAPPENED?

>> AT AGE 10 I SAID I WILL NEVER DO THIS.

BY 15 I SAW MY WAY IN THERE BY MAKING MY OWN VERY PROFITABLE CARNITAS BUSINESS AND THEN I WAS LIKE, THAT'S IT.

THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING.

AND YOU'RE NOT A PHOENIX NATIVE, CORRECT?

>> NO, BUT THIS IS MY 30th YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

>> WHAT BROUGHT TO YOU PHOENIX?

>> CULINARY SCHOOL.

IT WAS SO DIFFERENT THAN IT IS TODAY AND I WAS RIGHT, I GOT TO GROW WITH IT, IT WAS SO SAFE.

WAS THE FOODY ATMOSPHERE WHEN YOU GOT HERE, AND THE FOODY ATMOSPHERE WHEN YOU GOT TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL, YOU WERE UNAVOID BE, ALL OVER THE PLACE, HOW CHALLENGING WAS IT, WHAT DID YOU RUN INTO?

>> WELL, I SOMETIMES FELT A LITTLE USED AS THE ONLY WOMAN ON THE LIST OF THESE TOP CHEFS BUT THE FOODY ATMOSPHERE WAS VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT IS TODAY AND WHAT IT WAS BACK THEN, IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING WHEN I WAS GOING TO CLOSE, THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE THE FOOD AUTOS BACK WHEN I OPENED IN THE EARLY 2000'S CAME BACK AND NOW THEY WERE JUST A LITTLE OLDER BUT STILL THOSE FOODIES.

BUT THE FOODY ATMOSPHERE ALLOWED PEOPLE LIKE EDDIE GROW AND TARVELLS, AND I WANTED TO PLAY WITH THAT -- I WANTED TO BE RIGHT THERE, BUT WITH MY FOODS AND AND WITH YOUR FOOD AND OUTLOOK ON SOCIETY, AND OTHER CAUSES, OTHER CONCERNS, YOUR OTHER INTERESTS.

HOW DID ALL OF THAT EVEN VERY ENVELOP, HOW DID ALL OF THAT WORK TOGETHER?

>> I BACKPACKED THROUGH MEXICO FOR A GREATER PART OF THE YEAR AND I CAME BACK AFTER GETTING THE BLESSING OF THE TRIP IN MEXICO, AND I KNEW WHAT I HAD TO DO, I HAD TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUS PERCEPTION, NORTH AMERICANS HAVE, OF WHAT MEXICAN CUISINE OR FOOD IS AS WELL AS THE CULTURE, AND I SET OUT TO DO IT ONE PLATE AT A TIME.

AND I DID REALLY GOOD UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENED IN 2010 AND CHANGED EVERYTHING.

>> SB 1070, YOU WERE FRONT AND CENTER ON THAT.

AND DID -- WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, AND I GOT SO MUCH I WANT TO ASK YOU.

>> BUY THE BOOK.

>> THE ACTIVISM, DID IT CROWD OUT FOOD FOR YOU?

>> NO SOMEBODY TOLD ME THE THREATS CAME, SHUT UP AND COOK.

THERE'S NO POLITICS WITH FOOD, AND I SO BEG TO DIFFER.

HOW ABOUT THE WAY MY PEOPLE WERE TREATED AS THEY'RE WORKING IN THE FIELDS?

LOOK AT THE VENUES NOW.

>> RIGHT.

AND THE CAFE, OBVIOUSLY, THESE ARE THINGS IN THE PAST NOW, THINGS IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR FOR YOU.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU?

>> WELL, I AM OPENING A FREE SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS TO -- COLONIAL, I HAVE TO CUT OUT THE MIDDLEMAN AND JUST DO IT.

AND I HAVE 14 STUDENTS THAT WENT THROUGH BASICS ALREADY, AND THEY'RE FANTASTIC.

I'M WORKING ON A CRUISE SHIP AND NEW YORK AND SITTING HERE WITH YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I'M SO GLAD YOU SAT HERE WITH, ME CHEF SILVANA, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BOOK AND A GREAT CAREER.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.