Bighorn Fire (June 13, 2020) –Image by Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star
This view is as seen from Oro Valley on the northside of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The glow over the mountains to the right is Tucson.
As of this morning, active fires in Romero and Cargodera Canyons burned together and continued to push to the north and east. With this spread to the higher elevations comes a transition in fuel type, with the fire moving from grasses and brush up to chaparral. Smoke from these heavier fuels will be very visible today.
Firefighters on Mt. Lemmon are building from the preparatory work done by the community together with the Forest Service, ensuring existing fire breaks are clear, and that defensible space is maintained. Crews and equipment will be working north toward the town of Oracle, scouting for containment features and identifying values at risk.
Fire in Ventana Canyon continued to be active and is expected to slowly back down the canyon where crews are confident the existing fire line will hold. Firefighters are building line extending east from the southern edge of the fire to protect communities, should the fire move in that direction where there is unburned fuel.
The fire has now burned close to 15,000 acres.
Bighorn Wildfire smoke glows red and orange in the setting sun. — Image from his patio by kenne
