ARIZONA IS SHUT DOWN

Yes, that is correct. As of Friday, May 24, 2002 at 8AM - The state of Arizona is shut down. Cancel your ghost towning trips to AZ for the summer because unless they access is completely on PRIVATE land and you have permission you will not be able to visit any ghost towns in Arizona for until at least the end of August or September. Why? The biggest drought in years and the strictest fire restrictions ever. For example, Crown King in the Bradshaw Mountains usually receives 12.7 inches of rain and snow by May 15 each year. This year there has only been .7 inches. ALL State Trust land (one of the big portions of the land in the state) has been closed until at least August 31,2002. The prescott National Forest is 100% closed. No access is allowed for anyone, including hiking or anything. Most of the other National Forests are either 100% closed or very close to it. The National Forest has worded their closure such that they are closed until there is "sufficient moisture to reopen". So in a nutshell, cancel your AZ plans for ghost towning this summer as you will either be denied access or face $5000 fines for National Forest violation or $1000 fines for State Trust Land Violaton. All this and there are still fires raging throughout the state!