A meteorologist for the Burro Fire is predicting a 50 to 60 percent chance of rain Saturday in the Santa Catalina Mountains — which will be a tremendous help in battling the Burro Fire, officials said.
The news was delivered at a public meeting Thursday at Sahuaro High School, and brought applause from the audience members. They wanted to know how soon they could return to their homes and businesses in Summerhaven atop Mount Lemmon.
“The good news is we are one day closer to rain,” said Bea Day, the incident commander for the wildfire. “The bad news is I don’t have a date when we are going to lift the evacuations. If we get significant moisture, we will be able to get you quicker back to your homes,” Day said.
The blaze is about six miles from Summerhaven and about three miles from Catalina Highway. Monsoonal winds with gusts up to 50 mph will drastically affect the fire, but firefighters have built containment lines and continued working along Catalina Highway to protect structures, officials said.
During Thursday morning’s briefing, Day reminded fire crews that 23 years ago, 14 firefighters died on the South Canyon Fire near Glenwood Springs, Colorado, battling a blaze much like the Burro Fire with high temperatures, low humidity and an extremely receptive fuel bed.
“There is nothing on that mountain worth dying for,” Day said. “Keep your head on a swivel, watch out for each other and come back here safe tonight at end of shift.”
The blaze, which has burned more than 25,000 acres as of Thursday, broke out June 30 in the foothills of Redington Pass near Burro Tank. The fire’s cause is undetermined.
The fire is 19 percent contained, officials said late Thursday.
Mount Lemmon residents were evacuated Monday morning. Catalina Highway and Redington Pass Road remain closed.
Nearly 700 personnel are assigned to the Burro Fire, the No. 1 priority fire in the state, officials said. Resources include 47 engines, 27 water tenders and eight helicopters.
