RECENT NEWS!

UPDATE – JUNE 28, 2008

Firefighters are monitoring the 2,000-acre Redington Fire on the west side of the Galiuro Mountains.

UPDATE – JUNE 27, 2008

Redington Fire
• Acres: 3,000. • Location: Near the Galiuro Mountains northeast of Tucson. • Containment: 40 percent.
• Cause: Lightning. • Structures threatened: Firefighters are working to protect three historic cabins, but no other structures are threatened.
• Prognosis: The area was previously selected as a prescribed-burn candidate, and officials are monitoring the fire but not working to suppress it.

LOCAL FIRE – June 26, 2008

Yesterday afternoon a new fire started up several miles south of the Sombrero Fire. Arizona State Land Department and OFD crews were dispatched during the afternoon to the "Reddington Fire" which was later determined to be burning on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land.

BLM decided to bring in their own fire fighting resources to oversee the fire. The last information that we heard, BLM was planning on letting it burn, since the fire was so remotely located and no structures were threatened. Depending on which direction the fire spreads, OFD crews could get assigned for structure protection duty if required.

The Reddington Fire is very visible, especially at night, from Oracle. We received 12 phone calls and 3 dispatches last night, all reporting a fire near Mount Lemmon Highway and Timberline Road. Each time it ended up being the Reddington Fire. Fires at night oftentimes appear to be much closer than they actually are.

All of the wildland crews on the Sombrero Fire, except the Oracle crew, have been released. The Florence and Globe wildland crews left Oracle early this morning to go to a fire near Dripping Springs, located north of Winkelman.

OFD Captain Slyter (Sly) stated this morning that he may call the Sombrero Fire officially out by this afternoon or evening, depending on what he observes today.

CLEAN UP YOUR PROPERTY WITH DOC CREWS

Our regular wildland fire crew from the Department of Corrections, was just released from the Adams Fire which has been burning in the Benson area. Unless they get dispatched to another fire, they expect to be back in Oracle on Thursday and Friday. This crew (the Echo Crew from Tucson) is responsible for many of the private fuel thinning projects visible throughout our town. They are available for hire, and can help you create a defensible/survivable space around your home. Average costs are running about $550 per day for a 20 man crew with all the equipment. Contact the fire department for more information.