Dear Friends,
This past June, the Contreras Fire started via a lightning strike on the Baboquivari ridge line. It burned just shy of 30,000 acres by the time it was contained. The fire involved two ranches on the east side of the mountains, Tohono O’odham lands, Bureau of Land Management lands, and Arizona State Trust land. It also involved the Kitt Peak National Observatory. In the early hours of day 7, the fire crested up out of the Alambre Canyon, over the top of Kitt Peak, and through the Observatory buildings. Fortunately, the telescopes were spared, though four support buildings were lost due to the fire. At its height, the fire was in the national news due to Kitt Peak’s involvement and there were 450 personnel assigned to fight it.