An air tanker drops fire retardant in grass and scrub on the northeast corner of the Bighorn Fire on June 27, 2020.
The Bighorn Fire burning late June 18, 2020, on the northern side of the Santa Catalina Mountains, threatening the town of Oracle. Some homes and communities south of Oracle have been evacuated. The fire is at 31,208 acres and 40-percent contained. (Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star)
The Bighorn Fire, sparked by lightning June 5 near Pusch Ridge in the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, has resulted in evacuations and is being fought by hundreds of wildfire fighters. Here are the latest news developments from the Arizona Daily Star:
Friday, July 3
• Crews expect to make a big jump on containing the Bighorn Fire this weekend.
• With monsoon storms on Tucson's doorstep, flooding around the Bighorn Fire is a concern. Here's a story the Star's Patty Machelor wrote bout potential flooding.
• Rough terrain and challenging weather helped Bighorn Fire grow into a super-sized blaze.
• Take a look at photos from the Star's Bighorn Fire coverage.
• Here's how buffelgrass may have helped Tucson's Bighorn Fire take out saguaros.
Thursday, July 2
• Tucson's Bighorn Fire: Crews begin mopping-up on Thursday
• Coronavirus and the Bighorn Fire prompted many communities across Metro Tucson to cancel Independence Day fireworks. Sahuarita is the exception.
• This is how to map the Bighorn Fire boundaries.
• Regular updates have ended, but you can still find information about the Bighorn Fire on Facebook.
• Take a look at photos from the Star's Bighorn Fire coverage.
Wednesday, July 1
• Officials: Upcoming weather to boost effort for those battling the Bighorn Fire.
• Here's a gallery of photos from major wildfires that have burned across southern Arizona.
• Tuesday marked the 7th anniversary of the Arizona wildfire in which 19 members of the Yarnell Mountain Hotshots were killed. Here's a photo gallery of the Yarnell firefighters from 2017.
• Here's an updated collection of news photos from the Star's Bighorn Fire coverage.
• Use this map to track the Bighorn Fire boundaries.
Tuesday, June 30
• Less wind, more humidity to help fight massive blaze today
• Take a look at photos from the Star's Bighorn Fire coverage.
Monday, June 29
• Monday's windy, dry weather could push flames, smoke from Bighorn Fire.
• An evacuation order was issued Sunday for a portion of the lower Catalina Foothills.
• The Bighorn Fire tops 104,000 acres Sunday as winds cause worry.
• A combination of weather, fuel and terrain super-sized the Bighorn Fire.
• Here's an updated collection of news photos from the Star's Bighorn Fire coverage.
Sunday, June 28
• Tucson's Bighorn Fire: Wildfire tops 100,000 acres, windy day on Sunday a worry
• Terrain, challenging weather helped Bighorn Fire grow into a monster blaze.
• Gun club still seeking permit from Forest Service for range near Redington.
• Officials expand evacuation zone near Redington due to fire, winds.
• Use this map to track the Bighorn Fire boundaries.
• Here's an updated collection of new photos from the Bighorn Fire.
Saturday, June 27
• Bighorn Fire on Friday got bigger than Aspen blaze of 2003, but it hasn't caused the earlier fire's property damage.
• Smoke from the Bighorn was photographed by a satellite.
• Use this map to track the Bighorn Fire boundaries.
• Here's an updated collection of new photos from the Bighorn Fire.
• Find details about evacuation orders at pima.gov/bighorn or pinalcountyaz.gov/emergencymanagement
• Here's a photo collection of major wildfires in southern Arizona.
Friday, June 26
• Tucson's Bighorn Fire grows to 88,000 acres by Friday morning
• Smoke from the Bighorn Fire can be seen from space.
• Tucson's Bighorn Fire: Pocket fires boosting smoke over the city
• Here's an updated collection of new photos from the Bighorn Fire.
• Find details about evacuation orders at pima.gov/bighorn or pinalcountyaz.gov/emergencymanagement
• Use this map to track the Bighorn Fire boundaries.
Thursday, June 25
• Tucson's Bighorn Fire: Firefighters give optimistic report Thursday on effort against the blaze
• The Bighorn fire grew to 75,000 acres early Wednesday
• Tucson's Bighorn Fire map: Track boundaries of the blaze
• Here's a running list of resources for evacuees and residents in the danger-zone.
Wednesday, June 24
• Tucson's Bighorn Fire map: Track boundaries of the blaze
• Hundreds of thousands of gallons of retardant have been dropped on the Catalina Mountains in the fight against the Bighorn Fire. While fire officials say they think the retardant helped them fight the blaze, a debate is roiling throughout the West over the chemical mixture's effectiveness.
• Here's an updated collection of news photos from the Bighorn Fire.
Tuesday, June 23
• Limit outdoor activities, a smoky Tucson is advised as the Bighorn Fire continues to burn.
• Crews make varying degrees of headway in Arizona wildfires
• Tucson's Bighorn Fire map: Track boundaries of the blaze
Monday, June 22
• As the edges of the Bighorn Fire move closer to Tucson and other communities near the bottom of the Santa Catalinas, it also is running out of fuel to feed the blaze, fire officials said Sunday.
• Here's an updated collection of news photos from the Bighorn Fire.
• Use this map to track boundaries of the Bighorn Fire.
• Here's a running list of resources for evacuees and residents in the danger-zone.
Sunday, June 21
• The nightly fire shows on the lower portion of the Santa Catalina Mountains could begin to dim as the Bighorn Fire moves into desert terrain and runs out of fuel to burn, officials said Sunday.
• As of Thursday, some 358,000 gallons of retardant — enough to fill more than 30 backyard swimming pools — had been dropped on the Catalina Mountains in the fight against the Bighorn Fire. That's almost 50% more gallons of retardant than were dropped onto all national forest wildfires in Arizona in 2016. While fire officials say they think the retardant helped them fight the blaze started June 5 by lightning during a storm that swept across Tucson, a debate is roiling throughout the West over the chemical mixture's effectiveness.
• There's a "good plan" in place to keep the Bighorn Fire from reaching homes, officials said on Saturday.
• Here's an updated collection of news photos from the Bighorn Fire.
• Use this map to track boundaries of the Bighorn Fire.
• Here's a running list of resources for evacuees and residents in the danger-zone.
Saturday, June 20
• Crews fighting Tucson's Bighorn Fire were using controlled burns Friday night south of Oracle to try to stop the northward advance of the blaze.
• Use this map to track the boundaries of the Bighorn Fire.
• Bighorn Fire Tucson: Here's a list of resources for evacuees and danger-zone residents.
• Here's a collection of photos from two weeks of the Bighorn Fire.
• A University of Arizona time-lapse weather cam catches the Bighorn Fire.
• Here's a video from Star news photographer Josh Galemore of the Bighorn Fire burning on a windy day.
Thursday, June 18
• Watch now: Bighorn Fire near the Mount Lemmon Fire District
• Evacuation order now in place for lower Mount Lemmon communities
• University of Arizona weather cam catches Bighorn Fire
• Crews building fire lines, protecting structures as Bighorn Fire moves closer to Summerhaven.
• There are hundreds of people and a vast amount of machinery and equipment involved in fighting the lightning-sparked Bighorn Fire near Tucson. The cost of fighting the blaze so far: $10 million.
• Crews are fighting 3 major wildfires burning in Arizona.
• Bighorn Fire map: Track boundaries of the blaze near Tucson.
• Bighorn Fire Tucson: Running list of resources for evacuees and danger-zone residents.
• Photos: The Bighorn Fire in Coronado National Forest near Tucson.
• Join Star Opinion team for its weekly reader chat today
Wednesday, June 17
• With Red Flag Warning in place, crews continue fighting Tucson-area Bighorn Fire
• On eve of tragic anniversary, Summerhaven residents ordered to evacuate as fire nears
• Fish rescue: Nearly 900 endangered Gila Chubs were transplanted from Sabino Canyon to man-made ponds across Tucson as the Bighorn Fie approached.
• Photos: The Bighorn Fire near Tucson
• This week in June 2003, the Aspen Fire ripped through the community of Summerhaven on Mount Lemmon, destroying more than 300 homes and businesses. Here's what the community looked like on the Aspen Fire's 10-year anniversary.
• Bighorn Fire Tucson: Running list of resources for evacuees and danger-zone residents.
• Bighorn Fire map: Track boundaries of the wildfire burning near Tucson
Tuesday, June 16
• Tuesday's high winds move the Bighorn Fire within 10 miles of Summerhaven, Ski Valley.
• Tucson's Bighorn Fire grows to 16,000 acres by Tuesday morning
• After Tucson's Bighorn Fire is out, concern to focus on potential flooding.
• Humidity, cloud cover help slow spread of Bighorn Fire on Monday
• Bighorn Fire Tucson: Running list of resources for evacuees and danger-zone residents.
• Tucson's Bighorn Fire continues growing; crews focus on Mount Lemmon
• Bighorn Fire map: Track boundaries of the blaze near Tucson
• Photos: The Bighorn Fire burns near Tucson.
• Join Star Opinion team for its weekly reader chat on Wednesday, June 18.
Monday, June 15
• The Bighorn Fire didn't grow much on Monday thanks to cloud cover and humidity, officials said.
• The Bighorn Fire near Tucson is now 22% contained, and officials on Monday put the Mt. Lemmon area on pre-evacuation notice.
• Fire crews were moving into Summerhaven as they work to protect Mount Lemmon from the raging Bighorn Fire. Meanwhile, fire officials issued a pre-evacuation order for Mount Lemmon on Sunday evening, telling residents to be ready to evacuate.
• Use this map, updated regularly, to see Bighorn Fire and evacuation boundaries.
• This Is Tucson has created this running list of resources for Bighorn Fire evacuees and danger-zone residents.
Sunday June, 14
• Buffelgrass may have helped Tucson's Bighorn Fire take out saguaros.
• As Bighorn Fire still mostly unchecked, some residents in new evacuation zone refuse to leave.
• Most wildlife displaced by the Bighorn Fire are able to reach safety.
• Here's a collection of photos from the Bighorn Fire.
Saturday, June 13
• Bighorn Fire evacuation order lifted, but residents stay alert.
• One week in, Bighorn Fire continues to rage near Tucson.
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