ST. GEORGE — Fire crews responded to a wildfire near a campground in Mohave County, Arizona, Saturday afternoon after multiple passersby on Interstate 15 called 911 to report the blaze.
At 3 p.m. Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire District responded to the brush fire reported just north of the Cedar Pocket campground off Exit 18 of I-15.
The arriving Beaver Dam/Littlefield firefighters began tackling the blaze and were soon joined by wildland crews from the Bureau of Land Management, who were called to assist due to the potential threat the fire posed to federal buildings and land.
Once the fire was contained, crews began digging down through the roots of the brush to extinguish any lingering embers, Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire Battalion Chief Andre Ojeda told St. George News.
The fire burned through the dense brush near the southbound I-15 on-ramp, Ojeda said, which can take more time to completely extinguish.
“Even though these fires appear small, they can continue to burn underground and then reignite later, well after fire crews have left,” Ojeda said, adding that crews returned to inspect the area Sunday for that reason.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and no injuries were reported.
Saturday’s fire is just one of many that firemen in northern Arizona can expect to fight in the coming wildfire season. More than 1,500 fires ignite across Arizona annually, where the hot, dry climate is ideal for wildfires that can spread quickly, igniting brush, trees and homes.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.