(Photo courtesy of inciweb.nwcg.gov)

A plane drops fire retardant over the Pinal Fire.

The Pinal Fire burning south of Globe is 50 percent contained, according to fire officials.

The lightning-caused blaze has now burned nearly 7,200 acres in three weeks.

Tonto National Forest spokesman Dave Killebrew said firefighting efforts during the next few days will be critical.

"The success of those operations will determine when it will be safe to declare any containment," Killebrew said. "I believe the projected containment is sometime in the middle of June.”

Killebrew said fire crews early on had to deal with civilian drones flying in the area of the fire but have not had those problems in recent days. Firefighters were aided by winds Monday in creating a buffer between the north end of the fire and nearby homes.