Cortaro Fire Near Tucson Fully Contained After Burning 111 Acres

The Cortaro Fire near Marana, just northwest of Tucson, was fully contained after burning approximately 100–111 acres of dried brush and vegetation in the Santa Cruz riverbed. The fire, which began on May 24, 2025, was fueled by salt cedar, cattail reeds, and mesquite trees amid hot and dry weather. Multiple smaller brush fires merged, leading to significant smoke plumes and prompting the closure of nearby roads, the Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr. Library, and Crossroads Park as a precaution, though no structures were threatened. Firefighters from the Northwest Fire District, state forestry officials, Tucson Fire Department, and other agencies worked together to control the blaze by midafternoon the same day, with around 40 personnel on site. The cause is still under investigation, but officials suspect human activity may be involved. Local authorities remind the public to help prevent wildfires by practicing caution with ignition sources and vehicles around dry vegetation.