Published Sunday, May 26, 2024

Photo Credit: Martinez Lake Fire District

INCIDENT SUMMARY

A wildfire was sparked on May 25th, located north of Yuma, Arizona on the Colorado River in the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge suspected of being caused by arson.

Note: There is another wildfire burning on a refuge in Florida. These are two separate wildfires and sounds by the looks of things, Social Media posters are using the same wildfire-designated name.

RESOURCES

Photo Credit: Martinez Lake Fire District

Resources dispatched were the following: Sammeli, BOAT 2182, BAT-211, BOAT 3552, E-3665 CRD, BOAT 3551, E-2162 FWS, 3108 – BLM, E-3662 CRD, and aircraft T1 Helo 4CK, 1 T3 helo and 4HH.

INCIDENT COOPERATORS

Members of the Lake Martinez Fire Department, Yuma Proving Ground Fire, and personnel with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rural Metro, and the Bureau of Land Management also responded and arrived at the scene and are aggressively fighting the fire.

Photo Courtesy: Region 3 Wildland Alerts

Yuma County Sheriff’s Office

Police would later take an individual, by the name of Jason Bradley Martin, 47, of Yuman County into custody and have been booked into the Yuma County Detention Center on Reckless Burning, Arson of Structure/Property, Criminal Damage, Burn Wildlands Violated Order, and Endangerment. This is an active criminal case that will remain under investigation by local law enforcement.

The incident began when the Sheriff’s Office dispatched several Deputies at 1359 hours on Saturday afternoon to an area of the Colorado River and Zoo Island about a very large fire burning. Upon arrival, the fire was said to be active and had already burned some protected land within the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking for anyone with information to please call them at 928-783-4427 or 78-CRIME. You can stay anonymous. You can also visit them on their website at http://www.yumacountysheriff.org to submit an anonymous tip.

Yuma Proving Ground Fire

Members of the military fire service are working as mutual aid to the other multitudes of firefighters and personnel on this wildfire.

Photo Credit: YPG Fire Department

A post on May 15th, states the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground has long been on the cutting edge of developmental and operational testing of new airdrop capabilities.

More recently, they conducted a complex test to expand the effectiveness of currently fielded cargo parachutes by helping them function at higher altitudes to protect pilots from ground fire.

This would be great for those who may drop cargo to firefighters at spike camps. I wonder if they have those like we do here in Washington State.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Firefighters and law enforcement joined as Incident Cooperators on this wildfire and law enforcement incident.

Rural Metro

Rural Metro Firefighters are on the fireline as mutual aid partners helping to egress on this wildfire.

Photo Credit: Rural Metro

Bureau of Land Management

Martinez Lake Fire District

According to the Officials, this outlook on the Wildlife Refuge was damaged and will be closed indefinitely. That is a terrible shame for visitors who go to this area each year. (Photo below)

Photo Credit: Martinez Lake Fire District

CURRENT STATUS

According to Law Enforcement with the Sheriff’s Office, the fire has burned about 1,226 acres on the Arizona side of the Colorado River and remains at a 0% containment status.

Photo Credit: Martinez Lake Fire District

The fire has been observed as moving north along the river’s edge and surrounding land.

(c) 2024 NW Fire Blog