Progress of wildfire near Tucson halted, nearly half contained

Now dubbed the Molino 3 fire, the fire started just after 5 p.m. at the 4.5 mile marker of Catalina Highway.

The Molino 3 Wildfire burning north of Tucson since Thursday is now 48% contained, according to the latest update Sunday from the U.S. Forest Service.

Incident Commander Jeff Fulgham reported significant progress in battling the blaze, which has consumed 485 acres of Coronado National Forest land.

The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.

Forward progress of the fire has been successfully halted. As a result, authorities this weekend reopened traffic in both directions on Catalina Highway.

While the wildfire is still not fully contained, authorities continue to urge caution in the affected area and encourage residents to stay informed through the Road Closure Hotline (520) 547-7510.


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Eddie Celaya is a breaking news reporter and host of the "Here Weed Go!" podcast. He graduated from Pima Community College and the University of Arizona and has been with the Arizona Daily Star since May 2019.