Between the rocky and steep terrain, the combustible dry grass and the heat, the Bighorn Fire in the Santa Catalina Mountains is proving one tough blaze to fight.
As of Saturday evening it had grown to 10,367 acres, with only 10 percent of it contained.
Firefighters don’t expect to have it controlled until June 25, assuming winds don’t shift, but some residents are not taking it seriously, officials say.
On Friday, officials alerted residents in about 80 homes near the area of East Golder Ranch Drive and East Rollins Road that they should evacuate immediately. Some have refused to leave.
“We encourage people that the evacuation order is serious. If we come to your door and ask you to evacuate, it’s because it’s absolutely necessary,” Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier said during a press conference Saturday afternoon. “Those people that are not heeding the evacuation order need to understand that if you stay there, we may not be able to come back and rescue you.”
Auxiliary volunteers with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department created six checkpoints along Old Ina Road to keep residents updated about the fire. If an evacuation order is in effect, they’ll be able to direct authorities to those residents to warn them.
“We are worried that the fire may threaten some structures, and the fire service is doing everything humanly possible to protect structures and protect life and they’re doing a great job of that,” said Napier, before a backdrop of mountains lined with pink fire retardant.
There is no timetable for the order to lift as fire crews work to eliminate dry grass and brush that provide fuel for the fire.
“The problem is this country (area); it is steep, so the best way to cut off the progress of the fire is the firefighters on the ground digging fire lines. And this stuff’s so deep they can’t do that safely,” said Adam Jarrold, spokesman for the multiagency team fighting the fire.
“So the closer it gets to the flatter area, then we can get them in there. They’re going to be backed up by the airplanes and the helicopters, and we’re going to try and get some firetrucks in there.”
As more than 550 firefighters and personnel worked to suppress the fire, officials pleaded with motorists not to stop along Oracle Road to watch the fire or take pictures. That can cause a crash hazard and impede crews from doing their jobs, Napier said.
“In fact, we had a piece of fire equipment collide with somebody yesterday trying to get into the area,” Napier said. “I know it’s hard, but stay out of the area.”
There are still areas under “set” orders, in which residents are urged to voluntarily leave or be prepared to evacuate if conditions change. The surrounding area south of East Hawser Street and east of North Lago del Oro Parkway, including Catalina State Park, remains under this notice.
Crews were working to find the best way to stop the fire’s progress as strong winds from the southwest pushed the Bighorn Fire to the northeast Saturday.
Officials also expected the fire to continue growing upslope in upper Ventana and Romero canyons toward Window Rock.
The morning hours allowed firefighters to continue working to secure a fire line between the Catalina State Park and Golder Ranch area before triple-digit temperatures caused an increase in fire activity, Coronado National Forest officials said.
Soaring temperatures Friday made the day a rough one for firefighters in full gear and packs. Three firefighters were treated for minor heat-related illness.
“I cannot applaud with any greater enthusiasm the work of the fire crews that are out there in 100-degree heat, very low humidity,” Napier said. “These very courageous people are up in the mountains in very remote areas. We’ve got air assets battling the fire. They’re doing an amazing job.”
