Updated · Water Damage Flagstaff
The short answer
Neighborhoods below Flagstaff's burn scars, especially around Timberline, Fernwood and Doney Park below the Schultz and Pipeline Fire areas and east Flagstaff below the Museum Fire scar on Mount Elden, face flash flooding during the July to September monsoon. Burned soil absorbs little water, so short storms send fast, muddy runoff downhill. Prepare before July: flood insurance, sandbags, clear drainage and an evacuation plan.
Why burn scars flood
Healthy forest soil soaks up rain like a sponge, and pine needles, grass and logs slow water down. A severe wildfire burns away that cover and can bake a water-repellent layer into the top of the soil. When a monsoon cell drops an inch of rain in half an hour on a burned slope, very little of it soaks in. It runs off all at once, picks up ash, soil, rocks and burned logs, and arrives in the neighborhoods below as a fast, heavy, muddy flow.
That risk lasts for years, not weeks. Vegetation slowly returns and the soil recovers, but burn areas can produce dangerous runoff for five years or more after the fire, and the worst storms can overwhelm even the channels and basins built to handle them.
Flagstaff's burn scars and the neighborhoods below them
| Fire | Year | Neighborhoods most affected by later flooding |
|---|---|---|
| Schultz Fire | 2010 | Timberline, Fernwood and Doney Park on the east side of the San Francisco Peaks, which flooded repeatedly in the years after the fire |
| Museum Fire | 2019 | East Flagstaff neighborhoods below Mount Elden and the Dry Lake Hills, flooded during the 2021 monsoon |
| Tunnel Fire | 2022 | Rural areas northeast of Flagstaff along US 89; the fire itself destroyed homes |
| Pipeline Fire | 2022 | Renewed runoff risk on the Peaks, again affecting the Timberline and Doney Park area |
If your home sits on or near a wash that drains one of these areas, treat every strong monsoon storm as a possible flood, even if your street has never flooded before.
Before monsoon season: a preparation checklist
- Buy flood insurance early. Homeowners policies exclude flood, and National Flood Insurance Program policies usually take 30 days to start. The insurance guide explains the gaps.
- Sign up for alerts. Coconino County's emergency notification system and National Weather Service flash flood warnings give the earliest notice.
- Get sandbags in place. Coconino County and the City of Flagstaff typically set up sandbag sites before monsoon season. Place bags to divert water around doors, garage openings and window wells, not to build a wall.
- Clear drainage. Clean gutters, downspout extensions, culverts at your driveway and any channel across your lot. Debris left from last year blocks water this year.
- Raise what matters. Move valuables, documents and electronics off lower-level and garage floors for the season.
- Know your shutoffs. Water main, gas and the electric panel. Do not enter a flooded room with power on.
- Plan your exit. Know two ways out of your neighborhood and never drive through flowing water.
During a flash flood
Burn scar floods arrive fast, sometimes with little rain falling where you are because the storm hit the mountain above. When a flash flood warning is issued for your area, move to higher ground. Stay out of washes and away from flowing water; six inches of moving water can knock a person down and a foot can float a car. Do not try to save property during the flood. Turn off power at the panel only if you can do so without standing in water.
After the water recedes: what to do
- Stay safe. Wait until officials say it is safe to return. Watch for downed power lines and gas smells.
- Photograph everything before cleanup: the mud line on walls, damaged belongings, the outside of the house.
- Call your flood insurer and your homeowners insurer, then call for flood cleanup.
- Treat the water and mud as contaminated. Burn scar runoff carries ash, soil and bacteria. Wear boots, gloves and an N95 mask.
- Get the mud out before it dries. Shovel and squeegee silt out of garages and crawl spaces while it is still wet.
- Remove soaked porous materials. Carpet, pad, insulation and drywall that touched flood water are normally discarded.
- Dry quickly. Professional drying within a day or two prevents most mold. See the mold after water damage guide.
Crawl spaces, garages and lower levels
Many homes in Timberline and Doney Park sit on crawl spaces or have garages and lower levels on sloped lots. Floodwater fills crawl spaces from the vents and through gaps at the stem wall, and it can stay there long after the yard dries. A crawl space flood cleanup means pumping, removing mud and the wet vapor barrier, sanitizing the soil and framing, and drying with a dehumidifier before a new barrier goes down. Garages need mud-out and cleaning before drywall and stored items are judged. The flood cleanup page explains the full process and typical costs.
Long-term protection for homes below burn scars
Some homeowners in these areas invest in permanent protection: regrading the lot so water flows around the house, concrete or rock-lined swales to carry runoff past the home, raised thresholds at doors and garages, flood vents in crawl space walls, and backflow valves on sewer lines. County and federal programs have funded neighborhood-scale channels and basins since the Schultz floods. Ask Coconino County about the current risk for your parcel and any mitigation assistance before spending on private work.
What to keep in a monsoon go-kit
Flash floods give little warning, so the time to pack is in June, not when the sky turns black over the Peaks. Keep these in one bag near the door from July through September:
- Copies of your insurance policies, the flood policy number and your agent's phone number.
- Photos or video of each room and your major belongings, saved to your phone and the cloud.
- Medications for a few days, phone chargers and a battery pack.
- Sturdy boots, gloves, N95 masks and a flashlight.
- Cash, water and snacks for a night away from home.
- Leashes, carriers and food for pets.
Practice the route out of the neighborhood once, in daylight, so nobody has to think about it in the dark with water in the street.
Related questions
Does homeowners insurance cover burn scar flooding?+
No. Flooding from outside is excluded from standard homeowners policies and needs a separate flood policy, which usually takes 30 days to start.
How long do burn scars cause flooding?+
Runoff risk is highest in the first few monsoon seasons after a fire and can last five years or more until vegetation and soil recover.
Where can I get sandbags in Flagstaff?+
Coconino County and the City of Flagstaff typically open sandbag locations before and during monsoon season. Check their websites or emergency alerts for current sites.