Fire threatens Tucson foothills homes
Blaze could also imperil community atop Mount Lemmon
TUCSON — Crews took advantage of lower temperatures overnight to complete a burnout in advance of a wildfire to stop it from reaching foothills homes in the Tucson area, fire management officials said Saturday.
The burnout of vegetation to deprive the fire of fuel was conducted to connect with lines cleared by firefighters along washes and off-road vehicle trails, officials said.
The fire, in the Santa Catalina Mountains in Coronado National Forest, which lightning started on June 5, increased to 16 square miles as of Saturday and was only 10% contained.
Hampered by rugged terrain and triple-digit temperatures, 550 firefighters and other personnel were assigned to the fire, supported by aircraft dropping water and fire retardant.
On another front of the same fire, crews were working to stop flames from spreading deeper into mountains, where the community of Summerhaven sits atop Mount Lemmon.
Crews also worked to secure the fire’s southern flank, overlooking Tucson, where residents of 350 homes under a voluntary evacuation notice were told Friday night that they could return but needed to remain vigilant.
An evacuation notice was issued Friday night for about 80 homes in an area west of the fire, and neighborhoods in areas near the forest remained on alert for potential evacuation.
No structures have been reported damaged. Three minor injuries related to heat were reported.
In northern Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park officials said the North Rim remained closed due to a wildfire in Kaibab National Forest.