Latest news with #TiffanyDavila
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Heading back from a trip up north? Southbound SR 87 closed due to a brush fire near Payson
Drivers heading back home from a weekend up north should be aware of a road closure on southbound State Route 87 south of Payson. The roadway was blocked at milepost 242 due to a brush fire, according to a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, from the Arizona Department of Transportation. There is no estimated time for the road to reopen, ADOT said. Tonto National Forest fire crews were working on the brush fire with no state resources available at the moment, according to Tiffany Davila with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Motorists can check the AZ511 app or call 511 to see real-time highway conditions. This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Traffic alert: Brush fire closes southbound SR 87 south of Payson
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
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 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@ Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to know about the Cortaro Fire near Tucson
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
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 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@ Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to know about the Cortaro Fire near Tucson
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cortaro Fire burning in riverbed near Tucson now under control
The Cortaro Fire in Marana burned about 100 acres of brush in the Santa Cruz River bed on May 24, according to emergency officials. Authorites said the fire was the result of numerous brush fires in the riverbed that merged into one, but crews were able to contain most of the blaze by midafternoon. About 1 p.m., the Pima County Sheriff's Department was among the first agencies to report a fire burning in the riverbed near Silverbell and Cortaro roads. As a precaution, Marana police closed the nearby Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr. Library and Crossroads Park. Eastbound Cortaro Road at the Santa Cruz bridge was also shut down due to the fire. The Police Department reported the multiple brush fires that turned into one included one near the Santa Cruz bridge and Cortaro Road, and another behind an Amazon building farther south on Silverbell Road near Ina Road. Plumes of dark smoke were sent into the midday air just north of Tucson, but shifted to white about 3 p.m. as crews established some containment lines in the riverbed. Tiffany Davila, spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, said about 40 personnel were at the site to battle the fire and that its behavior had "moderated." She said the fire was fueled by a mixture of salt cedar, cattail reeds and mesquite trees dried by recent hot temperatures. The fire reportedly started between Cortaro Farms and Ina roads, according to Davila. Just after 3:45 p.m., the Northwest Fire District reported the fire "declared under control" and that no structures were threatened. The cause of the fire remained unknown. This is a developing story; check back for more details. Reach reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. at rcovarrubias@ Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ. What to know: Do wildfires cause bad air quality? How bad is it for you? This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cortaro Fire burning in riverbed near Tucson now under control
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
When is wildfire season in Arizona? It's not so easy to define anymore. Here's why
Arizona entered 2025 with wildfires already blazing. The Horton Fire began in mid-December and was extinguished roughly a month later. Another fire was sparked a few weeks later, and Arizona's year-long fire season continued. Wildfires in Arizona were once expected from late April into the monsoon season. Now fires can start from late February or early March into September. 'Every year, depending on the weather or the conditions, we can see an extension of our fire season,' said Tiffany Davila, public affairs officer for Arizona's Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Here's what to know about Arizona's wildfire season and why these massive blazes are no longer just a seasonal issue. Wildfires in Arizona were once expected from late April into the monsoon season. Now fires can start from late February or early March into September, experts told The Arizona Republic. The U.S. Forest Service and many other agencies are shifting to the concept of 'fire years.' Rather, there is fire activity year-round but it increases during the end of April or beginning of May, according to Arizona's Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Larger incidents, more erratic and aggressive fires, tend to peak when there's a combination of hot air and windy conditions, and ease when Arizona is well into the monsoon. Fires start earlier in southern Arizona and later in the north; each ecosystem has its own unique relation to fires. The expansion of Arizona's traditional fire season is happening for a lot of reasons. Three main factors affect fire seasonality: Decades of fire suppression — not letting forests burn naturally — cause timber, grass and brush to accumulate and cause more intense fires. Where most fires were once started by lightning, they are now largely started by people. More humans in wild places mean both more chances of fire and higher stakes while fighting them. Multiyear droughts and more extreme weather events due to climate change are driving longer, more damaging fires. Arizona Republic reporters Hayleigh Evans and Shelby Slade contributed to this article. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: When is wildfire season in Arizona? Why it's not so easy to define
