From the Lower Oracle Ridge Trailhead it is about 4 miles to get to the top of Apache Peak located on the north end of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Most of the miles are on the Oracle Ridge Trail which traverses below the peak, but there is no established trail for the final steep climb, and in my experience while you can pick better/worse ways to the top there probably is not a ‘great’ way up (the climb is not overly long but expect the standard rocky/loose/brushy off-trail Santa Catalina hillside…).
Sun disappearing behind the clouds at the end of the day on Apache Peak. July 2017.
I arrive at the top just in time for the last light on the ridges to the south, the sun dipping below the clouds on the horizon, city lights coming on thru Charouleau Gap and the moon peaking thru the clouds as it rises over the San Pedro Valley – but tonight it is what I don’t see that is the surprise: no glow from the Burro Fire (currently at just over 27,000 acres), no spots of flame visible on the distant ridges and no obvious/large columns of smoke! The Burro Fire is burning to the south – Apache Peak certainly doesn’t have a view directly into the active part of the fire, but I suspect that the fire would have been clearly visible from here several days ago…
Watching the moon rise over the San Pedro Valley from Apache Peak. July 2017.
Clouds covering the moon make the hike back down surprisingly dark – spider eyes glint in the headlamp beam and when I finally slow down to look more closely it turns out to be many more spiders than I thought…
A spider – and many/mini spiders… On the Oracle Ridge Trail. July 2017.
The Burro Fire started on June 30th near Burro Tank in the Redington Pass area – the fire burned 27,238 acres.
Final Update
On 7/13/2017 a final update was issued on Inciweb – the mountain will re-open on 7/14 8am and and all closures will be lifted so that all trails/trailheads on the mountain will be open!! The final size of the fire is estimated at 27,238 acres. The containment is listed at 95% (there is a small area on the NW side of the fire that on the last map still has active perimeter marked). The cause is still listed as ‘Under Investigation’.
On 7-11-2017 a revised closure order was issued ahead of the anticipated opening of the highway up the mountain to the general public on Friday. July 2017.Burro Fire – 7/12/2017 8AM – At 74% containment the only active perimeter remaining is on the NW side of the fire. July 2017.
7/11/2017
Evening: I drove Redington Road to Piety Hill to get a quick look at the impacts of the fire and fire fighting. Close to the road in the burned areas I could see the grass was gone, some or many trees were still standing and in some spots green vegetation was still visible. There were ridges in the distance that looked like they burned hotter – and near the road some of I saw was probably controlled burning by fire crews – but thankfully, at least near the road, the landscape was not a desolate moonscape!
Off Redington Road grass and underbrush were clearly burned but many trees remained. July 2017.The Burro Fire was stopped at Redington Road and in this view you can see the green vegetation south of the road and burned area north of the road. July 2017.The start of the Bellota Trail – part of the Arizona Trail – at the Italian Spring Trailhead. July 2017.
6:40 AM: Yesterday evening 65% containment was announced – and perhaps more telling about the state of the fire residents, business owners and business employees were allowed back up the mountain starting at 3pm yesterday and at this time no additional community meetings are scheduled! (The incident commander, Bea Day, did not give any estimate on when the mountain would be open to the general public.) Redington Road is now open to all traffic. The fire is listed at 27,238 acres. The current map reflects the increased containment with more of perimeter marked as contained on every side of the fire! Rain again last night should help dampen the fire and increase containment (Green Mountain, Dan Saddle and Redington gauges all show rain in the last day on the Pima County ALERT map).
Burro Fire -7/11/2017 6:39AM – the map reflects the 65% containment announced yesterday!. July 2017.
7:38 AM: 27,266 Acres, 51% Contained. Fire crews finished prepping the Control Road yesterday and added more dirt road/dozer lines to the map – the extensive circle of preparations can be seen on the map! Fire growth in Edgar Canyon was minimal even though hot/rugged conditions meant that there were not crews in the Peck Basin area yesterday – the fire continues a slow spread to the east, with hot conditions limiting crews on the ground and established lines to the east the fire is being allowed to grow in that direction for now. Progress was made containing the fire in the Piety Hill, Buehman Canyon and Guthrie Mountain areas.
7/9/2017 7AM – Burro Fire – minimal fire growth and additional containment!. July 2017.
7:40 AM: Inciweb was updated this AM to report 26,731 acres burned and 36% containment. Fire growth shown on the map this AM is modest. Fire crews with air support have been able to stop the fire at Edgar Canyon and prevent the fire from moving west into the Peck Basin area – east of this area the map now shows a much more extensive set of fire lines surrounding the fire. The southeast portion of the fire has quite a bit less active fire perimeter with area near Buehman Canyon and Piety Hill now shown in black.
Burro Fire – 7/8 AM Map – compared to the 7/7 AM map there are additional fire lines on the north and east side of the fire with only modest additional areas burning on the north and west sides. July 2017.
5:30 PM: At the community meeting they just announced 36% containment. There is a news article below about two injured firefighters – at the meeting there was a question about the injuries and it was mentioned that they were minor and the firefighters were back at work.
7:20 AM: Inciweb lists the Burro Fire at 25,355 acres and 19% contained. Compared to yesterday note the growth in the Edgar Canyon/Peck Basin area – this area was mentioned multiple times in the Community Meeting last night in part because of the concern that the fire could burn up from this area towards the highway. The map this AM also adds a substantial number of firelines compared to yesterday AM. The southwest side of the fire is now contained. On the west side preparations to hold the fire at the highway have been made including plans for burnouts if needed. On the east side a line has been established from Black Hills Mine Road, across Alder Canyon at Ventana Windmill, out Davis Mesa, across Edgar Canyon down to Lone Hill and then towards the Brush Corral Area (Black Hills Mine Road connects to the Control Road which has been mentioned as a feature that could be used to control the fire – if this line + the Control Road + the highway was held it would encircle a large section of the fire).
7/7/2017 6:50 AM – Burro Fire Map – compared to Thursday AM there has been growth in the Edgar Canyon/Peck Basin area and a substantial number of fire lines added. July 2017.
7:30 AM: The Burro Fire is currently listed as 24,547 acres with 11% containment. The map as of this AM shows the south side of the fire – along Redington Road – as contained. Since yesterday AM the northern section of the fire has grown and is burning down towards Edgar Canyon.
AM Map from July 5th – on the NE side the fire has burned down towards Edgar Canyon, on the south side there is now a significant stretch of fire line that is no longer marked as active. July 2017.
Evening/Night: Driving north from Benson the fire came into view well before the junction with Redington Road – sun, smoke and fire created several amazing views from the road. Black Hills Mine road is now closed – but with Evans mountain and the slopes down into Edgar Canyon burning the fire was easy to see from Redington Road after it climbs away from the San Pedro. The evening update puts the fire at 24,547 acres 11% contained.
Sun and Smoke from Cascabel Road. July 2017.The Burro Fire from Cascabel Road. July 2017.Evans Mountain and the slopes below burning in the Burro Fire on the night of the 5th. July 2017.
Today, firefighters strengthened control lines along the Redington Pass Road and after cold trailing and mop up of the line, declared that this section of fire perimeter is now contained. Tonight, engines will patrol the area and extinguish hot spots as needed. No additional fire growth is expected in this area.
Prep work along the Catalina Highway is nearing completion. Fire crews have reinforced Firewise mitigations put in place by residents and have set up contingency fire lines as a defensive measure. Crews are prepared to initiate burning operations in front of the fire, should it move westward, threatening structures and other values at risk.
Tonight crews will be patrolling the south eastern perimeter of the fire. Winds are predominately coming from the southeast, pushing the fire back onto itself.
The northeastern side of the fire will be monitored through the night. Incident Fire Behavior Analysts do not anticipate any substantial fire spread in this area over night.
The most active fire behavior on the Burro Fire was observed on the northwestern perimeter. In this section the fire has dropped into canyons where the vegetation is predominantly grass and scrub. Helicopters and fixed wing aircraft were used to impede the fires progress. Under current weather conditions, these canyons are in alignment with the wind, so that fire has the ability to move quickly through the light flashy fuels.
7:10 AM: Inciweb was updated this AM to list the fire at 21k acres – several notes from the update:
There will be a Community Meeting 5:30 p.m., Wednesday July 5, 2017, at the Sahuaro High School, 545 N. Camino Seco, Tucson, AZ 85710. American Sign Language (ASL) and Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART) captioning will be provided. The meeting will be live streamed on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BurroFireInfo/
Fire crews continued patrolling and preparing homes and other structures along the Catalina Highway. They also surveyed the terrain between the fire’s western edge and the highway to determine locations where defensive measures might be taken should the fire encroach upon the roadway.
With the support of heavy helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, fire crews built fire line along the southern and eastern flanks of the fire to protect infrastructure as well as cultural and recreational values, and were able to hold the fire north of Redington Pass Road. Despite dry conditions, high heat and outflow winds, firefighters were able to successfully protect ranch buildings in those areas. To date, the suppression efforts have ensured that no structures have been burned.
The terrain on the north eastern side of the fire is rugged and mountainous. No roads exist that would provide access for fire apparatus. Given the topography and lack of access, the decision has been made to rely mainly on air resources to slow the fire’s progress in this area. Contingency plans are in place, should fire activity become a threat to infrastructure as well as cultural and recreational values.
In the maps this AM I noticed two interesting details:
The satellite information on the fire suggests that the fire has made notable progress over the Evans Mountain area and is much closer to Edgar Canyon and Peck Basin.
The maps reflect the note above about holding the fire north of Redington Road – the fire perimeter on the south-east now runs along Redington Road.
Satellite information suggests that the fire has made significant progress over Evans Mountain and towards Edgar Canyon and Peck Basin. July 2017.Burro Fire Map 7/5/2016. July 2017.
Inciweb currently lists the fire at 14,112 acres although more notably the maps from the AM show quite a bit of movement to the south. From Inciweb:
Beginning July 4, Burro Fire Public Information Officers will provide media briefings at 7am and 7pm daily at the Incident Command Post at Sabino High School, 5000 Bowes Road, Tucson Arizona.
The Coronado National Forest has now implemented forest closures from Redington Pass Road and the National Scenic Trail north including Catalina Highway and the Control Rd. to the Pima/Pinal County line. These closures can be found athttps://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/
Burro Fire Map 7/4 7:25 AM – since yesterday there has been considerable growth to the south. July 2017.Burro Fire Topo Map from 7/4 7:25 AM. July 2017.
7/3/2017
Evening/Night: With the Control Road and Highway up the mountain both closed I drove around the north end of the mountain and took Black Hills Mine Road out to the edge of Alder Canyon – this didn’t give me a view of the more active south side of the fire, but it did let me watch as flames and smoke rose from the Evans Mountain area. For the most part the fire stayed behind the ridge – but as night fell all of the small hot spots, hidden in the days, became visible… From Inciweb:
Firefighters made good progress on the Burro Fire. Indirect line construction and structural protection continued to be the focus along the Catalina (Mt. Lemmon) Highway. On the south side of the fire, firefighters continued preparation along the Redington Pass Road. Natural barriers are also being used to aid in suppression efforts. Airtankers and helicopters were used to help delay the fire’s spread where they could be used safely and effectively. With extreme temperatures, we expect to continue to have periods in the afternoons when it’s too hot to fly.
Today’s fire spread was primarily in the southern area of the fire. Firefighters provided structural protection at the Bellota Ranch.
Smoke and clouds over the Evans Mountain Area. July 2017.A plume of smoke east of the Evans Mountain area with Piety Hill on the left. July 2017.Burro Fire – Evans Mountain. July 2017.Burro Fire in the Evans Mountain Area with Green Mountain in the background – from Black Hills Mine Road. July 2017.
There will be a Burro Fire Community meeting tonight, July 3, 5:30 p.m. at the Sahuaro High School (545 North Camino Seco, Tucson AZ). Please park in the main parking lot the meeting will be in the auditorium. The meeting will be live streamed on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BurroFireInfo/. You must have an account to view the stream live. Following the meeting the recording will be posted, this will not require an account to view.
Firefighters are actively working to fully suppress the Burro Fire. Due the steep, rugged, inaccessible terrain and fire activity, firefighters are currently using indirect tactics. On the west side of the road, firefighters are planning and implementing structure protection along Catalina Highway. On the south side of the fire, firefighters are scouting and planning for preparation on holding the Redington Road. Airtankers and helicopters are being used to help delay the fire’s spread where they can be used safely and effectively. With extreme temperatures, we expect to continue to have periods in the afternoons when it’s too hot to fly.
There are currently 185 personnel working on the fire. Current resources include three hand crews, 14 engines, one water tender, and three helicopters.
6:30 AM: Evacuations have been extended – evacuations in Summerhaven were scheduled to start at 6am this morning. Inciweb now lists the fire at 14,000 acres – up from 5,000 listed yesterday. In the map below from the The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) it appears that the movement on the north side of the fire has been considerable – the fire has burned across Buehman Canyon and certainly looks like it will burn thru the Evans Mountain area. From Inciweb planned actions: “Assess options for indirect line construction and containment using natural barriers. Assess needs for point protection at threatened infrastructure/communities.”
National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Map – 7/3/2017 6:17am. July 2017.
7/2/2017
In the AM driving up the mountain the usual traffic was out on the road, you could barely smell the smoke and lower down on the mountain you had to look in the right direction to even know there was a fire. Higher on the mountain the smoke became more and more obvious… I hiked out to several points below Green Mountain to watch the fire – the smoke was impressive, scary, and larger than I expected. I watched cautiously for an hour or so as flames came up onto a ridge near Guthrie Mountain and aircraft dropped fire retardant to try to keep it in the canyon… Driving down the mountain I noticed fire personnel coming down and at the base Police had started to turn away anyone who was not a resident.
Smoke from the Burro Fire – Guthrie Mountain to the left. July 2017.Airplanes drop fire retardant on flames trying to come over a ridge – near Guthrie Mountain. July 2017.Looking down into a smoke obscured the San Pedro Valley – Edgar Canyon on the left. July 2017.Smoke and flames from the Burro Fire. July 2017.
5,000 acres (7/2/2017, 11:37:15 AM)
Redington Road closed from milepost 2 to 14 due to Burro Fire.
Burro Fire updates! Evacuations have started. They begin at mile marker 0 up to Palisades Road. North of Palisades Rd is under a pre evacuation status. We understand this decision is sudden however based on the activity of the fire this is the safest and best decision for our residents. Please follow social media and MyAlerts.pima.gov for more updates to follow. Pima County Office of Emergency Management can be found on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pcoem/
Maps suggest that the fire is currently burning between Bullock and Buehman Canyons and is still east of the Green Moutain Trail and just inside the National Forest boundary to the East.
National Fire Situational Map from about 5pm on 7/2/2017 – the yellow/orange/red dots help show the Burro Fire. July 2017.
Lower Sabino Canyon below the dam. May 2017.
The dryness and early summer heat are having their way with Sabino Canyon – just below the dam the water’s movement is nearly imperceptible and in the still pools strange patterns and stresses emerge – it feels like the canyon and I are both longing for the refreshing July rains…
The Gauge at the Sabino Canyon Dam – July is usually reliable for weather and rain, but every year is different… July 2017.Lower Sabino Canyon below the dam. May 2017.Lower Sabino Canyon below the dam. May 2017.
Light, shadows and green – Crystal Spring Trail. May 2017.
Pictures from a Control Road, Crystal Spring Trail and Butterfly Trail hike last month – even then the green plants were overwhelming the narrow track of the Crystal Spring Trail, I can’t wait to go back later in the summer and see what happens once the rain starts!
Fallen wing on the Crystal Spring Trail. May 2017.Looking down into Peck Basin and Edgar Canyon and across the San Pedro to the Galiuros from the Butterfly Trail. May 2017.Mount Bigelow and the Butterfly Wall from the Butterfly Trail. May 2017.
Fire damage along the Mount Lemmon Trail – probably from the Shovel Fire. May 2017.
With two trips last month on the Red Ridge Trail/Catalina Camp/Oracle Ridge Trails (probably the best sub-10 mile trail loop on the mountain) it seemed like it was time for the longer Canada del Oro/Red Ridge Trail loop, probably the best 10+ mile trail loop on the mountain!
We left a car at the Red Ridge Trailhead and drove to the Summit Trailhead – Lemmon, Sutherland, Samaniego Ridge, CDO Shortcut Trails – 3.7 miles and 2,700′ of elevation loss take us to the start of the Canada del Oro Trail.
Raspberry flowers along the Canada del Oro. May 2017.
As the Canada del Oro Trail descends the views of towns and distant mountains disappear – the upper part of the canyon is surrounded by the Santa Catalina’s northern ridges – Samaniego, Reef of Rock and Oracle Ridge. The feeling of remoteness in the upper section of the canyon is great, but the real magic here is the water – the upper Canada del Oro seems to have remarkably good (perhaps even year-round?) flow – spending miles rambling in a wooded canyon beside a flowing stream is a unique experience in the Santa Catalina Mountains!
The CDO Trail. May 2017.
Seeing water in the CDO might be a surprise if you are used to the dry sandy wash that leaves the mountains and heads southwest thru Saddlebrooke, Catalina, Oro Valley and Tucson to the Rillito River. In Canyon of Gold, Tales of Santa Catalina Pioneers Barbara Marriott asserts that the (at least seasonal) water in the CDO and grass along waterway during the 1800s was part of the reason why ranches were located near the CDO and that in the first quarter of the 1900s the CDO became much drier.
Flowing water in the Canada del Oro. May 2017.
The 2003 Aspen Fire reduced the CDO trail to an off-trail bushwhack. For years I would occasionally hear or read about epic hikes thru the area – you can get a hint of the dense obstacles that hikers found in some of Sirena’s pictures from 2011. But over the years both Forest Service crews and volunteers have worked on the trail and it has once again been tamed – not a wide perfectly groomed path by any means, but very reasonable – maybe even ‘easy’ – to find and follow!
The Reef of Rock from the Red Ridge Trail – the large formations on the right side are referred to as the ‘Sea Gods’. May 2017.
From the CDO we take the Red Ridge Trail – it follows the East Fork of the CDO to the base of Red Ridge where we rest before climbing thousands of feet up back to the Red Ridge Trailhead.
