Human-Caused Rattlesnake Fire Spreads Across Eastern Arizona
Only 3 percent of the human-caused Rattlesnake Fire burning across more than 2,000 acres southeast of Whiteriver, Arizona, has been contained.
A red flag warning was issued for surrounding areas near the border between Arizona and New Mexico until 11 p.m. on Monday as wind speeds were expected to increase.
“The numbers we’re seeing today we’d normally be seeing in the middle of June," said Carrie Templin, a spokeswoman for the Tonto Nationa Forest. "So that tells us how dry our winter was. But as far as the current conditions on the ground, as far as what the fire is burning through and how it’s burning, that is not an immediate concern.”
Templin said the fuel moisture in the logs and leaves are at record lows. She also says almost all springtime fires are human-caused and urged campers to make sure their fires are completely cold to the touch before leaving their campsites.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This headline has been updated to correct the location of the fire.
