INCIDENT INFORMATION:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8154 

Fire Information: 520-302-5120 Media Information: 520-497-3625 

Twitter: @BLMAZFire Facebook: @TON.Emergency.Management or @blmarizona 

E-mail: 2022.contreras@firenet.gov 

SUMMARY: The Contreras Fire started June 11 on a remote ridge of the Baboquivari Mountain range, north of the Baboquivari Peak, 20 miles east of Sells, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation. 

TODAY: Moderate fire behavior is expected today on the Contreras Fire. Humid conditions and the possibility of wetting thunderstorms will likely reduce fire behavior and growth. There is still the potential for new fire starts from lightning strikes with the incoming afternoon rain. Shifting weather patterns will bring short, erratic wind gusts, potentially pushing the fire into open grasses and brush in the lower elevations and flats where fire is more easily accessible and defendable. Existing retardant and handline construction is expected to continue to hold the fire south of Highway 86. On Kitt Peak, mop-up and assessment of building and scientific structures will be the priority. Most fire activity is expected to occur within the interior of completed control lines south of Highway 86 and west of Sasabe Road (west of Pan Tak and the Coyote Mountain Wilderness). Smoke could impact Highway 86 and the Pan Tak and Hayhook Estates communities. The south part of the fire is in monitor status. Suppression repair activities will continue in and around the area of Elkhorn Ranch and elsewhere along the south perimeter of the fire. Crews are scouting for any damage from suppression activities. These activities could potentially include debris removal, fence and gate repair, restoration of dozer lines, and the construction of water bars to reduce the flow of water that could create future washouts and road degradation. 

Short, intense periods of rainfall in the coming days have the potential to cause flash flooding that could impact roads in and around the fire perimeter. Drivers are encouraged to remain vigilant to flash flooding across roads, especially interior roads, and to increased emergency response traffic in the area.  

YESTERDAY: Yesterday, control line was completed around the south half of the fire. Suppression repair and mop-up of any remaining hot spots was the priority. In the north portion of the fire, ground crews were aided by heavy air operations dropping retardant and water to keep the fire south of Highway 86 and west of Pan Tak. Retardant lines from the prior operational period held well, allowing crews to focus on defensive firing operations below Kitt Peak Observatory. Crews stationed in Pan Tak and Hayhook Estates developed structure protection plan for those communities. West of Pan Tak and Pan Tak Pass, dozers and hand crews worked through the night using defensive firing operations to establish completed control lines south of Highway 86 and west of Sasabe Road (west of Pan Tak and the Coyote Mountain Wilderness) that connect to the existing fire perimeter.  

INCIDENT STATISTICS 

• Fire start date: June 11, 2022 
• Cause: Lightning 
• Acres: 24,761, an increase of 4,401 acres from yesterday 
• Containment: 50% 
• Total Personnel: 436 
• Jurisdiction: BIA, Papago Agency 

 

RESOURCES 

Crews: 9 

Engines: 22 

Water Tenders: 19 

Graders: 2 

Helicopters: 7 

 

Evacuations: The Kitt Peak Observatory is in GO status. Pan Tak is in GO status. Hayhook Estates is now in READY status. Elkhorn Ranch is now in READY status.   

 

Road Closures: Kitt Peak Road (State Route 386) remains closed. 

 

Other Considerations: Drivers along Highway 86 are encouraged to remain aware of rapidly changing conditions, flash flooding, dense smoke and increased visual distractions from aerial operations. 

Contreras Fire InformationPublic Inquiries: 520-302-5120Media Inquiries:  520-497-3625

 INCIDENT INFORMATION:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8154 

Fire Information: 520-302-5120 Media Information: 520-497-3625 

Twitter: @BLMAZFire Facebook: @TON.Emergency.Management or @blmarizona 

E-mail: 2022.contreras@firenet.gov

SUMMARY: The Contreras Fire started June 11 on a remote ridge of the Baboquivari Mountain range, north of the Baboquivari Peak, 20 miles east of Sells, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation. 

TODAY: In previous updates, Hayhook Estates has inadvertently been called Cowtown. The correction has been made. Today will be the hottest and driest day on the fire before moisture returns to the area on Tuesday. As the week progresses, storms will have a higher likelihood of producing wetting rains. Today, lightning could create new fire starts in the area. Fire activity will increase with erratic outflow winds, higher temperatures and lower humidity. In the north portion of the fire, ground crews will be aided by heavy air operations dropping retardant and water to keep the fire south of Highway 86 and west of Pan Tak. Crews are working with the communities of Pan Tak and Hayhook Estates to develop a structure protection plan. These plans will remain with the communities and will be incorporated into their emergency response plans. West of Pan Tak and Pan Tak Pass, dozers and hand crews will remove brush and grass on existing road systems to reduce the threat of fire spread. The fire is expected to flank toward Kitt Peak Road and Coyote Mountain Wilderness due to a shift in winds. Crews will focus on defensive firing operations below Kitt Peak Observatory. On the east side of the fire, crews will actively scout and identify potential holding features such as roads, trail systems and other natural barriers, and monitor the fire as it moves downslope off Saucito Mountain. In the south, suppression repair will commence with the construction of water bars and other repair measures in and around Elkhorn Ranch. Very little smoke can be seen in the area. Monitoring of the fire in the south and the west will remain a priority, but very little fire activity is anticipated. 

YESTERDAY:  

Resources from the southern end of the fire near Elkhorn Ranch were shifted to the north end of the fire south of Hwy 86 to help with ongoing suppression efforts. Crews focused heavily on the area between Highway 86 and Kitt Peak as the fire grew in that area. From Pan Tak to Hayhook Estates, operations staff worked to develop structure suppression plans for the communities for future implementation. A structure group was stationed near Pan Tak in the event response was necessary. On Kitt Peak, crews completed defensive firing operations on the Observatory property and began mopup operations. Ahead of an anticipated active day of fire Monday, crews worked below Kitt Peak to create defensible space, removing highly flammable ground vegetation and constructing fire breaks. To the west, the fire was allowed to creep down the slope into more advantageous terrain that would allow crews to safely engage the fire if necessary. Engines and crews patrolled both the east and west flanks of the fire.  

INCIDENT STATISTICS 

Fire start date: June 11, 2022 Cause: Lightning Acres: 20,360, an increase of 3,079 acres from yesterday Containment: 40% Total Personnel: 350+ Jurisdiction: BIA, Papago Agency 

 

RESOURCES 

Crews: 8 

Engines: 19 

Water Tenders: 12 

Masticators: 2 

Helicopters: 7 

 

Evacuations: The Kitt Peak Observatory remains in GO status. The community of Pan Tak remains in GO status and has been evacuated. Hayhook Estates is now in READY status. Elkhorn Ranch is now in READY status.    Road Closures: Kitt Peak Road (State Route 386) remains closed.  Other Considerations: Drivers along Highway 86 are encouraged to remain aware of rapidly changing conditions, dense smoke and increased visual distractions from aerial operations. 

 INCIDENT INFORMATION:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8154 

Fire Information: 520-302-5120 Media Information: 520-497-3625 

Twitter: @BLMAZFire Facebook: @TON.Emergency.Management or @blmarizona 

E-mail: 2022.contreras@firenet.gov 

SUMMARY: The Contreras Fire started June 11 on a remote ridge of the Baboquivari Mountain range, north of the Baboquivari Peak, 20 miles east of Sells, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation. 

TODAY:  The Operations Section for the Eastern Area Team has determined that the Contreras Fire is now 40% contained.  This reflects the hard work of crews in the southern and eastern areas of the fire.  A contingent of engines and a hand crew will remain in these areas to continue to monitor and secure fire lines.  Resources will be shifted to the Kitt Peak area to assist with on-going fire suppression to the northeast of the site.  Aerial resources are expected to remain over the fire today in the absence of lightning.  Fire behavior will remain typical of the Contreras Fire, with extremely dry fuels, and movement upslope pushed by winds.  Along Highway 86, toward the Pan Tak and Cowtown communities, fire behavior will be monitored with crews and engines.  Operations staff will continue the development of a structure protection plan for these two communities.  Four structures, consisting of two out-buildings, a dormitory and a residence, were lost at the Kitt Peak Observatory during the run of the fire on the morning of the 17th.  Scientific facilities and instrumentation appear intact, assessments of damage to instrumentation will begin once conditions allow for safe entry into the area.  To the west, the fire will be allowed to burn down the slope into more advantageous terrain that will allow crews to safely engage the fire.  Engines and crews will continue to patrol both the east and west flanks of the fire. 

YESTERDAY: Northern firefighting operations focused heavily on fire suppression and structure protection at the Kitt Peak Observatory and the Pan Tak Community in the Schuk Toak District of the Tohono O’odham Nation.  The status for the Pan Tak community was revised to SET status.  Six helicopters provided support for hand crews on the ground.  Vegetation remained exceptionally dry, with rain impacting only the southeast area of the fire.  Defensible firing actions were conducted to moderate the intensity of approaching fire in the area of Kitt  Peak.  On the east side of the fire, fire crews scouted for access points for crews and equipment.  Near Elkhorn Ranch, structure protection crews worked to establish stronger control lines, patrolling through burned areas to detect and extinguish any remaining sources of heat.  Some resources were moved to the northeast area of the fire where more fire activity was prevalent.  The western perimeter of the fire was allowed to move slowly and southwesterly downslope toward more favorable terrain where crews could engage the fire. 

INCIDENT STATISTICS 

• Fire start date: June 11, 2022 
• Cause: Lightning 
• Acres: 18,843, an increase of 1,197 acres from yesterday 
• Containment: 40% 
• Total Personnel: 350+ 
• Jurisdiction: BIA, Papago Agency 

RESOURCES 

Crews: 8 

Engines: 10 

Water Tenders: 5 

Helicopters: 7 

 

Evacuations: Elkhorn Ranch, on the south end of the fire, is now in READY status.  The Kitt Peak Observatory remains in GO status.  The community of Pan Tak has been precautionarily evacuated, but is now in SET status. 

 

Road Closures: Kitt Peak Road (State Route 386) remains closed. 

Watch the video of an aerial survey of Kitt Peak Observatory after aerial fire resources and on the ground firefighting crews, led by the Eastern Area Type 2 Incident Management Team, worked to protect the observatory from the Contreras Fire in very challenging terrain and weather conditions. Thanks to their valiant efforts, the Observatory and related scientific structures remain intact.