April 30, 2025: Crews reach 22% containment
Hotshot crews, helicopters, and water tenders are all working to further contain the fire that’s been burning in the brush-covered canyons near Cochise Stronghold since Monday night. And with no overnight growth, they’re going in mostly on foot.
Fire officials say the blaze is at around 22% containment.
Tiffany Davila with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management says that beyond the roughly 240 people on the ground, they’ve had helicopters help track the fire.
"On the southwest side in the Dragoons and on the southeast fire, very treacherous and unsafe terrain. So we're moving slow and methodically, but also working as fast as we can," Davila said.
Davila says they’re especially concerned for a community to the northeast of the blaze. She also says crews are safeguarding infrastructure.
"So, any high voltage power lines that are in the area, other values at risk like the railroad lines or things of that nature, but a lot of values at risk in this area including wildlife habitat," Davila said.
Davila says one of the best things residents can do is clear flammable material like brush or dead plants from around the home. That gives firefighters more room to do their job.
April 29, 2025: Blaze grows to 2,3000 acres
A wildfire in Cochise County that started on Monday has grown to 2,300 acres.
Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management spokesperson Tiffany Davila said dozens of homes near the communities of Sunsites and Pearce have been evacuated, or are in “set” status.
“Residents in [set] status should be prepared, they should have a go-bag ready, and pay attention to news reports and things like that because at any time conditions change, and people need to be ready in case that does happen,” Davila said.
Davila said she expects the Stronghold Fire to grow. It is burning in inaccessible, rocky terrain and is being fueled by high winds.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the fire was at 0% containment.
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Arizona Public Service has nearly 40 active AI smoke-detection cameras and plans to have 71 by summer's end, and the state’s fire agency has deployed seven of its own. -
Smoke from the fire near Buckeye has blown into the rest of the Valley since it started burning Saturday. -
Kathleen Muldoon is a professor at an Arizona medical school who lives in north Peoria not too far from where the Hazen wildfire is burning. And she has Valley fever. -
The fire is generating a lot of fine particulate matter which could worsen health outcomes for people with respiratory issues. -
The Hazen Fire is burning about a mile south of Buckeye residential areas and is bordering State Route 85. As of Tuesday afternoon it stood at 1049 acres and reached 10% containment overnight.
