Wind Advisory
from SAT 12:00 PM MST until SAT 10:00 PM MST, Western Pima County including Ajo/Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Tohono O'odham Nation including Sells, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales, Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail, South Central Pinal County including Eloy/Picacho Peak State Park, Southeast Pinal County including Kearny/Mammoth/Oracle, Upper San Pedro River Valley including Sierra Vista/Benson, Eastern Cochise County below 5000 ft including Douglas/Wilcox, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys including Clifton/Safford, White Mountains of Graham and Greenlee Counties including Hannagan Meadow, Galiuro and Pinaleno Mountains including Mount Graham, Chiricahua Mountains including Chiricahua National Monument, Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains including Bisbee/Canelo Hills/Madera Canyon, Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains including Mount Lemmon/Summerhaven, Baboquivari Mountains including Kitt Peak, Kofa, Central La Paz, Aguila Valley, Southeast Yuma County, Gila River Valley, Northwest Valley, Tonopah Desert, Gila Bend, Buckeye/Avondale, Cave Creek/New River, Deer Valley, Central Phoenix, North Phoenix/Glendale, New River Mesa, Scottsdale/Paradise Valley, Rio Verde/Salt River, East Valley, Fountain Hills/East Mesa, South Mountain/Ahwatukee, Southeast Valley/Queen Creek, Superior, Northwest Pinal County, West Pinal County, Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, Tonto Basin, Mazatzal Mountains, Pinal/Superstition Mountains, Sonoran Desert Natl Monument, San Carlos, Dripping Springs, Globe/Miami, Southeast Gila County

Illegal campfire to blame for Tinder Fire

Officials with the Coconino National Forest say Tuesday an illegal campfire is to blame for the start of the Tinder Fire.

Forest officials say the Tinder Fire, which was reported during the late morning hours of April 27, began near Forest Road 95. According to data from Inciweb, the fire has burned over 11,400 acres of land, as of Tuesday afternoon. The fire is 0 percent contained.

According to reports, nearly 700 firefighters are on scene, and 30 buildings have been destroyed so far. In addition, about 1,000 homes and other buildings are threatened.

Fire management team spokesman Brian Scott says cool temperatures and light rain has helped nearly 700 firefighters and other personnel virtually halt further spreading of the fire about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Flagstaff between early Tuesday and Wednesday.

Scott says firefighters are focused on protecting housing tracts on one side of the fire and securing a containment line on the opposite side to keep it out of a rugged canyon.

According to a statement, forest officials say the campfire took place while Stage I fire restrictions were in effect. In a statement released on April 23, Stage I restrictions began on April 27 at 8:00 a.m., which means fire, campfires, charcoal, coal, and wood stoves are prohibited, except in a list of developed recreation sites.

Officials said, in the statement released Tuesday, that finding the person responsible for the fire will be difficult, as witnesses in the forest are often nonexistent. An investigation, however, is ongoing.