Frances Barwood is a former Phoenix City Councilwoman who gained national attention in the late 1990s for her inquiries into the Phoenix Lights, a famous and widely reported UFO sighting that occurred over Phoenix, Arizona, in 1997. At the time, the Phoenix Lights event was one of the largest mass UFO sightings in recent history, and it garnered significant media coverage and public interest.
Barwood became involved when, in her role as a city council member, she began receiving inquiries from constituents about the lights. Surprised that no official investigation was being conducted into the phenomenon, she publicly called for an inquiry to determine the nature of the event. Her efforts to seek answers brought her both support and criticism, with some praising her for addressing public concerns and others ridiculing her interest in the subject.