The 2024 Watch Fire was a destructive
wildfire
A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...
that burned 2,162 acres across
Gila and
Graham counties, located in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Arizona
Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
. The fire began on July 10, and was declared 100% contained by July 17. It was the 9th fire to burn more than 2,000 acres as part of the
2024 Arizona wildfire season.
Progression
The fire started on July 10, from human causes. By July 15, the fire had reached 2,162 acres in size along tribal lands in Gila and Graham counties. On July 16, containment on the fire was declared to be at 81%, and 185 crews were assigned to the fire. By July 17, containment on the fire had reached 100%, and SET alerts remained in place for multiple areas near the fire.
In ll, the fire destroyed an estimated 21 homes and 13 non-occupied structures in the
San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation area.
Aftermath
Cause
The fire was believed to have been started as a result of
arson
Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercr ...
in the
San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation area. A tribe member, Keanu Dude, was arrested and accused of lighting the fire.
See also
*
Wildfires in the United States during 2024
*
Park Fire, a large wildfire in California the same year
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Adams Fire
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Wildcat Fire
References
{{2024 wildfires
2024 wildfires in the United States
Wildfires in Arizona
Wildfires