Watch Fire investigated as arson after devastating eastern Arizona tribal community
Jul 15, 2024, 4:00 PM
The Watch Fire burned through more than 1,000 acres in the Arizona tribal community of San Carlos. (KTAR News Photo/Troy Barrett)
(KTAR News Photo/Troy Barrett)
PHOENIX – The Watch Fire is being investigated as arson after tearing through an eastern Arizona tribal community on Thursday, leaving dozens of residents without a home, authorities said.
Fire officials said during a press conference Friday that 12-13 homes in San Carlos were destroyed, displacing 60-100 people.
The San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation declared a state of emergency in response to the destructive wildfire.
“We have endured fires before, but the human scale of this one is particularly devastating” Terry Rambler, the tribe’s chairman, said in a press release. “Unfortunately, multiple families lost homes. … We have never experienced anything like this.”
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The tribe sought federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which authorized the use of a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on Sunday night. According to the release, about 300 primary homes were threatened at the time of request Saturday night.
An FMAG can can cover up to 75% of eligible firefighting costs through the Disaster Relief Fund.
Gov. Katie Hobbs also made up to $400,000 available to support the local emergency response and recovery efforts.
While nobody was injured, it was the reservation’s most serious structural fire in at least 30 years, according to the release.
The fire started in the community’s 7 Mile District. Air tankers slowed the initial growth, but they were grounded when a monsoonal front moved in. The winds pushed the flames into San Carlos’ downtown area Thursday afternoon, forcing more than 400 people to evacuate from the TC Alley, China Town, Peridot Heights and Old/New Moonbase areas. Evacuation orders were lowered on Sunday.
How large is the Watch Fire in eastern Arizona?
The fire ended up impacting an estimated 2,162 acres. Containment was listed at 0% Sunday morning, though officials said crews had a successful Saturday and would work to strengthen containment lines Sunday.
Officials are using San Carlos High School as an emergency operations center, a shelter for those displaced and a collection point for donations.
They are in need of clothes, food, water and hygiene products for people of all ages.
San Carlos is located in Gila County, about 20 miles east of Globe. The public was asked to avoid the area so they don’t impede firefighting efforts.
Smoke from the Watch Fire and the Freeman Fire in southeastern Pinal County was responsible for a haze in the Valley on Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Both fires are over 100 miles from downtown Phoenix.
