Contributed Photo: The Gila River riverbed burns north of Bylas on Saturday night.
By Jon Johnson
BYLAS – A wildfire is reportedly burning along the Gila River riverbed on the San Carlos Apache Reservation just north of Bylas.
The Gila Herald was informed of the fire at about 8:45 p.m. on Saturday. According to a witness in the area, it appears to be sticking to the riverbed and no known structures are in danger at this time. It also appears that firefighting efforts are in a monitor-only stage.
The Gila River has been a hotbed for wildfires this year with multiple blazes that have been fought in the Pima, Thatcher, and Safford fire districts. Fires along the riverbed can be beneficial to clear brush if they do not escape the area or damage private property or infrastructure.
At this point, it is unknown how the fire started but it is most likely human-caused.
