The Trump administration's push to downsize the federal workforce has already reached Arizona's most popular national park, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Arizona has 22 national parks, monuments and recreation areas, including the Grand Canyon, one of the most visited national parks in the U.S., and a source of great pride for the state.

• National park tourism contributed $1.2 billion to the state's economy in 2023, according to a federal report released last year.

Driving the news: At least 10 National Park Service employees stationed at the Grand Canyon have been laid off, Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, told Axios.

• The park service has not provided an official count of affected employees or their positions, but a spokesperson for the Grand Canyon on Tuesday told ABC15 the workers laid off were "vital" to park operations and are appealing to try to keep their jobs.

Zoom in: Four employees who worked the south entrance of the Grand Canyon were let go, the Washington Post reported, leading to wait times last weekend that were twice as long as usual.

• Other employees who'd been fired were tasked with replacing a 12.5-mile pipeline that provides water to South Rim facilities, per the Post. The current line has experienced 85 major breaks since 2010, according to the park's website.

The big picture: The Trump administration cut about 1,000 National Park Service and 3,400 Forest Service positions nationwide in the past week.

Threat level: The Association of National Park Rangers warned the cuts could lead to slower rescue efforts, park closures, reduced hours and educational programs, and more litter.

What we're watching: Arizona U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego penned a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum last week asking the administration to commit to protecting Arizona's newest national monument, Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni — Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument.

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President Trump's efforts to dismantle agencies that manage public lands and develop wilderness areas are deeply unpopular in Arizona and across the American West, a new poll shows.

Why it matters: The bipartisan Conservation in the West survey, released yesterday, is the first to measure the region's reaction to the Trump administration's move days earlier to cut thousands of national park, forest service and Bureau of Land Management workers.

The big picture: The overwhelming support for public lands and the agencies that manage them is reflected throughout the Mountain West.

• In the eight states polled, a large majority — including among self-identified MAGA Republicans — oppose funding cuts to federal public land agencies, and prioritize conservation over oil and gas drilling by the widest margin in the poll's 15-year history.

Zoom in: 77% of Arizona respondents opposed cutting funding to federal public lands and environmental agencies, the poll found.

• And 89% said they thought decisions about public lands, water, wildlife and other natural resources should be made by career professionals like rangers, scientists and firefighters, as opposed to new officials and elected representatives.

By the numbers: 72% in the state said inadequate water supplies are an extremely or very serious problem.

• A poll-leading 75% supported federal action to ensure the reliability of water supplies threatened by climate change.

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Recent high-profile airline accidents have caused Americans to question just how safe it is to fly, according to Google Trends data.

Why it matters: Flying remains the safest and most efficient way to travel long distances in the U.S., per the 2024 Bureau of Transportation Statistics Annual Report, but the Google data reflects how news events can impact public sentiment when individuals board an aircraft or consider booking a flight.

Catch up quick: Two incidents in particular seem to be driving the spike in searches.

• An American Airlines regional passenger jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in January, killing 67 people.
• On Monday, a Delta plane crashed while landing at Toronto's Pearson International Airport, with 18 injuries and no deaths.

Zoom in: Two people died yesterday after a midair collision between two small planes at the Marana Regional Airport, outside Tucson.

• Last week, a pilot died and four people were injured after one plane crashed into another on the Scottsdale Airport runway.

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💸 Arizona-based Nikola Corp., an emissions-free truck manufacturer, filed for bankruptcy yesterday. The company, which has laid off many local employees over the past two years, blamed macroeconomic and market headwinds. (AZcentral)

🐔 Hickman's Family Farms, the state's largest egg producer, has lost more than a million chickens due to the bird flu outbreak. The farm is awaiting approval from the Trump administration to administer a vaccine against the flu. (KJZZ)

🧒 More than 2,000 Arizona children have been waitlisted for state child care assistance since lawmakers failed to fully fund the state program after federal pandemic money expired last year. (Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting)

Spring (Training) has officially sprung! Enjoy baseball and more this weekend.

⚾ Cactus League Spring Training

The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers kick off the MLB season today. Games will continue at the Valley's 10 training fields for more than a month.

• Today-March 25; Locations and ticket prices vary

🎸 Innings Festival

The Killers and Fall Out Boy will headline this annual Spring Training kickoff event.

• Tomorrow and Saturday, noon-11pm, at Tempe Beach Park; Tickets from $165

🎉 Arizona Matsuri

Celebrate Japanese culture with traditional performances, tea ceremonies, food and more.

• Saturday and Sunday, 10am-5pm, at Steele Indian School Park; Free!

Full February guide