From www.FreeRepublic.com

BREAKING NEWS: Fire in Garden Canyon
Sierra Vista Herald/Review ^ | Bill Hess


Posted on 06/26/2007 8:58:15 PM EDT by SandRat


FORT HUACHUCA - A fire on this southern Arizona post Tuesday is thought to
have been caused by a ricocheting shell from a 40 mm grenade launcher, post
officials said.

The blaze, which around noon had consumed about 200 acres on the fort,
started about 10:30 a.m.

Using the special range on the post were soldiers of the Arizona Army
National Guard's 860th Military Police Company, according to fort officials.
The company, whose headquarters is in Casa Grande, is at the fort doing its
annual two-week training.

Fighting the fire is a number of U.S. Forest Service assets, including two
Hot Shot Crews, one from Payson and the other from Heber, local Forest
Service firefighters, a water-dropping helicopter and a single-engine air
tanker and a twin engine heavy aircraft, both of which are dropping slurry.

Bill Wilcox, the fire manager for the Coronado National Forest's Sierra
Vista Ranger District, said more than 50 firefighters, which also include
fort firefighters, were on the scene.

Because of concerns the blaze may double in size Tuesday afternoon, Wilcox
said he ordered additional Hot Shot crews and more air assets.

Concerns of the fire spreading led to the closure of Garden Canyon, said
post spokeswoman Tanja Linton.

Additionally, individuals were sent up into Garden Canyon to ask birders to
leave, she said.

Soldiers from the 309th Military Intelligence Battalion also were training
in the canyon area, and a decision was made to remove the estimated 250
individuals for safety reasons, Linton said.

There is no estimated time the fire will be contained.

The investigation into the fire continues.