A fire near Arivaca that started Monday during a Davis-Monthan Air Force Base training exercise has grown to more than 1,000 acres, officials said.
Firefighters with the Rio Rico, Arivaca and Tubac fire districts are still battling the blaze, which is 25 percent contained.
The fire is not near any buildings, said Tangye Beckham, fire chief of the Arivaca Fire District.
The blaze broke out at about 12:30 p.m. three miles north of Arivaca during a Davis-Monthan training mission, said Capt. Casey Osborne, a base spokesman.
"Personnel were running a combat search-and-rescue mission, and an airman on the ground attempted to signal an aircraft overhead to show his location, and inadvertently started a fire," said Osborne in an interview Monday night.
Details about how the accidental fire started were under investigation, Osborne said. He did not elaborate further.
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Air Force officials were fully cooperating with the local authorities, said Osborne.
He said Arivaca-area businesses or residents who believe they have suffered damage as the result of the fire can file a claim with the Air Force. Persons can call 1-520-954-0146 or email 355fw.ja-02@us.af.mil
