Cortaro Fire extinguished after 100 acres burned in the Tucson metro area
The Cortaro Fire reached 100% containment after burning through vegetation in the Santa Cruz riverbed in Marana near Tucson, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
After pillars of dark smoke were sent into the sky midafternoon the day before, state firefighters fought alongside the Northwest Fire District to extinguish the fire by May 25.
Tiffany Davila, spokesperson for the forestry department, said the fire had burned through about 111 acres in the Santa Cruz riverbed, near Silverbell and Cortaro roads.
Crews remained on scene and continued to patrol the fire area, monitoring for any activity. The state returned command of the fire to the Northwest Fire District in Marana.
Davila said the cause of the fire remained under investigation but believed it may have been human caused.
In addition to the state forestry department, local firefighters received support from the Tucson Fire Department and the Golder Ranch Fire District, according to Anne-Marie Braswell, spokesperson for NWFD.
Here's what we know about the fire in the Marana metro area and what closures were lifted.
Davila said the fire was fueled by a mixture of salt cedar, cattail reeds and mesquite trees dried by recent hot temperatures.
The fire started between Cortaro Farms and Ina roads, according to Davila.
Just after 3:45 p.m., the NWFD reported the fire "declared under control" and that no structures were threatened.
The Arizona Department of Transportation said both directions of the I-10 in Marana were open near the burn area, about 15 minutes north of downtown Tucson.
Smoke could be seen from ADOT traffic cameras as the fire saw its most activity midafternoon May 24.
ADOT reminded drivers to help prevent wildfires by keeping lit cigarettes in a vehicle, securing tow chains to prevent them from dragging and not parking near dry vegetation. Real-time traffic conditions could be found on az511.com.
Law enforcement had reopened nearby Cortaro Road and Crossroads Park after the fire caused a temporary closure.
The library, which is closed every Saturday, closed early May 24 when the fire had spread to nearby portions of the Santa Cruz River, according to the town of Marana.
Reach reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. at rcovarrubias@gannett.com. Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to know about the Cortaro Fire near Tucson
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