Tucson Region

Burnout, weather help reduce wildfire threat to Madera Canyon

A successful burnout and heavy rains helped reduce the potential for the 22,500-acre Florida fire to threaten Madera Canyon, officials said Tuesday. Crews had burned fuels on the east side of Madera Canyon, where there are about 30 homes and cabins. The area also received up to an inch of rain Monday night. The rain "was really helpful in terms of the fire," said Jennifer Plyler, a spokeswoman for the team fighting the fire. "We have gone from suppression mode to rehabilitation mode." More than 600 firefighters on Tuesday began to restore roads that were used during the fire, prepare fire lines so they could avoid erosion from more rain and remove equipment from Madera Canyon and the mountains. Firefighters would be further reduced in the next two days as crews were expected to transition from an elite type-1 firefighting team to a type-3 team on Thursday. Burnout operations were put on hold Tuesday as fire officials assessed whether they were needed after the rain, Plyler said. The fire was 60 percent contained Tuesday. Full containment was expected by next week, said Bill Duemling, a spokesman for the team fighting the fire. Residents and employees evacuated from Madera Canyon and a major astronomical observatory on nearby Mount Hopkins last week. The fire was caused by lightning July 7.