Jon Johnson Photo/Gila Herald: The Pima Fire Department is working to contain a large wildfire along the south side of the Gila River.
By Jon Johnson
PIMA – Another wildfire is burning near the Gila River in Pima.
This fire started around 3 p.m. roughly one mile west of the Glenbar Gin and at least a couple miles to the north. It is burning on the south side of the Gila River sandwiched between the river and cotton fields that are to the north of U.S. Highway 70. As of 6:15 p.m., the Pima Fire Department continued to work on holding the western end of the fire and protect exposures as much as they can, according to Pima Fire Chief Scott Howell.
“It is continuing to travel along the river eastbound,” Howell said. “There were a couple of houses we were working to protect. We also have power poles we are working to protect as it travels past.”
As of 6:15 p.m., no structures have been lost and no injuries have been reported due to the fire. The fire is reported to be human-caused but it is still under investigation.
Flames from the blaze flew up 50 feet and higher into the air as dark plumes of smoke filled the area and blew eastward toward Thatcher and Safford. Ash rained down as well, but as the flames licked the edge of the cotton fields, that’s where they stopped and didn’t advance any further south.
Instead, the windswept fire was being blown eastward as of Friday early evening.
The Pima Fire Department was being assisted at the scene by the Fort Thomas Fire Department, Graham County Sheriff’s Office, Pima Police Department, and the Graham County Electric Cooperative.
To see a photo album of the fire click here.
