Tucson

Saguaro National Park announces the reopening of Spud Rock and Manning Camp Campgrounds and all trails closed due to the Mica Bowl and Spud Rock Fires burning on Mica Mountain in the east district of the park. 

The Mica Bowl Fire has been burning within natural features with minimal fire activity, no observable smoke, and no growth since August 29. 

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and Pima County Department of Environmental Quality are issuing a High Pollution Advisory (HPA) for ozone effective August 26, 2020, in the Tucson area. ADEQ recommends that people limit outdoor activity while the HPA is in effect, especially children and adults with respiratory problems.

Weather: Today through Monday will be hotter than normal with slightly lower humidity and a west to northwest 10 to 15 mph breeze in the afternoon and evenings. Temperatures will be 80 to 90 degrees in the upper elevations and 101 to 106 on the valley floor. 

Yesterday’s Activity: Firefighters backhauled equipment from the Summerhaven and Willow Canyon areas. Crews mopped up in Beuhman Canyon. Chipping operations continued in the Peppersauce Canyon and along Redington Road. Patrol and mop up work were performed along the southeast fire perimeter. Equipment backhaul, fire suppression repair, and patrol were conducted on the remaining fire perimeter. Resources were available for initial attack on new fire starts. Sabino Canyon was patrolled.

Weather: Partly cloudy today with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Temperatures 75 to 84 in the upper elevations and 97 to 101 at the valley floor with 5 to 15 mph southwest winds. 

Weather: Slight chance of an early evening thunderstorm and light showers over the fire area overnight. Temperatures will be 59 to 66 at upper elevation and 73 to 76 on the valley floor. South to southeast winds 5-15 mph.

The Forest Service (USFS) Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)assessment team coordinated early with US Geological Survey (USGS) staff during its evaluation of the Bighorn Fire burned area to strategically assess potential post-fire impacts to the watersheds and predicted debris flow response during damaging storm events. From the USGS website found at https://landslides.usgs.gov/hazards/postfire_debrisflow/.

Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) assessment team released a map showing the runoff potential for areas burned by the Bighorn Fire. BAER specialists were able to use existing data and data from pre-fire and post-fire satellite remote sensing imagery from the Bighorn Fire burned area. The runoff map shows the levels of hydrological potential flows during rain events. 

Today’s Activity: Firefighters focused on structure protection between Summerhaven and Willow Canyon. A hotshot crew removed snags and was supported by helicopters to improve perimeter control around the 3-acre spot fire near Radio Ridge. A small spot fire near Palisades was contained. Firefighters held the fire in check at the Redington Road all day. Hand crews, engines, and aerial resources worked to hold and improve fireline along Redington Road, from Brush Corral Road (#447) on the north to Trail Tank road (#4429) on the south.

The Bighorn fire is expected to be active and highly visible again tonight due to low nighttime relative humidity. Additional resources including crews and engines will monitor the perimeter throughout the night. Fire managers and law enforcement officials are urging the public to avoid gathering at trailheads and along access roads to maintain open access for the fire crews and emergency vehicles.