VIDEO: The Bighorn Fire on the western end of the Santa Catalina Mountains grew to 7,092 acres as of Friday, June 12. Containment remains at 10 percent.
Crews conducted burnout operations on Thursday, June 11, introducing fire along the south end of Pima Canyon eastward toward Finger Rock and Pontatoc Ridge. Helicopters and a specialized machine were used to drop small plastic spheres that ignited when they hit the ground in strategic locations. Fire placed in this way consumes vegetation in the path of the wildfire. If the wildfire reaches areas treated, no fuel remains to carry the flames. Aircraft supported crews on the ground by dropping fire retardant in the area below Finger Rock to slow the fire’s spread. Fire managers are working to bring the fire down from high elevation ridges and to the low elevation Sonoran Desert where firefighting efforts can be more efficient.