Some Residents Evacuated In Bighorn Fire Can Return With Escort

TUCSON, AZ — The Bighorn Fire, which has scorched more than 119,000 acres in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, is 78 percent contained and residents of the Summerhaven and Willow Canyon communities are now able to return to their homes and businesses with a police escort.

The lightning-caused fire has been burning since June 5.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Office began escorting residents and employees to and from the areas in a convoy along Catalina Highway Wednesday morning. The daily schedule, listed below, will continue doing so until further notice.

• 5:30 a.m.: Leaving Willow Canyon near milepost 16 for milepost 0
• 8 a.m.: Leaving milepost 0 for Willow Canyon
• 12 noon: Leaving Willow Canyon near milepost 16 for milepost 0
• 1 p.m.: Leaving milepost 0 for Willow Canyon
• 5 p.m.: Leaving Willow Canyon near milepost 16 for milepost 0
• 6 p.m. Leaving milepost 0 for Willow Canyon

The sheriff’s office said the escorts are mandatory, escorts won’t be provided overnight, and residents and employees of businesses must be at the appointed time. Depending on fire conditions, the schedule could change.

People may stay overnight or longer and are free to travel from Willow Creek to Summerhaven and within Summerhaven itself, but cannot use Catalina Highway without an escored.

Other restrictions include:

• No stopping along the route for photos or for other reasons.
• No hiking, walking, camping, or other activities are permitted in the forest.
• Violators will be escorted off the mountain and will not allowed to return until it is fully opened.
• Access for non-full-time residents will be evaluated by the Bighorn fire incident management team over the next week.

Food that spoiled after the evacuation may be disposed of in a community trash dumpster in the parking area south of the Community Center.

Questions may be directed to 351-FIRE (3473)

Here’s the latest interactive map of the area affected by the fire: