The Fourth of July is synonymous with watermelon, barbeque and fireworks. Here in Tucson, it’s all those things and more, with “more” being the annual grass-fire on Sentinel Peak, aka “A” Mountain.

This years’ torching was more extensive than past years, with the entire south-face of the peak erupting in flames for well over three hours.

I initially started my night at Kino Sports Park, however after seeing initial social media postings depicting the fire, I quickly jumped into traffic and headed towards the west-side. Here is a video diary of what I was able to capture:

I saw initial reports of a fire breaking out on “A” Mountain and decided to head over. Immediately after leaving Kino Sports Complex and jumping onto Campbell Avenue, the fire was visible. At this point, the fireworks show was still proceeding.

As I crossed the I-10 onto Tucson’s west-side, the fire came into view in spectacular fashion. Multiple vehicles pulled off the road to witness the blaze. People looking to leave the area after the fireworks clashed with traffic returning from other parts of the city. This video is taken from a neighborhood on Silverlake Road, a little over a mile from the fire.

As the night progressed, firefighting crews and their engines could be spotted dotting the landscape. Eventually, they gained control, and the fire subsided. But not before providing the entire west-side with an astonishing show, and a stark reminder of the power of mother nature.

This article appears in Jun 29 – Jul 5, 2017.

5 replies on “‘A’ Mountain, a Fire”

  1. Let me see…EPA violations for smoke, destruction of plants and animals, and wasting water, FD manpower and resources. I guess that just about covers every violation. Oh yeah adding to global warming.

    And I thought Tucson had an environmental conscience. Once again, only for others.

  3. Assuming that fireworks played a part in the fire on Sentinel Peak, sadly our culture is not willing to sacrifice 45 minutes of decadent pleasure for the potential destruction of nature, beauty, habitat for wildlife and plant life that is slow in being restored. If and when the monsoon comes we can expect severe erosion of the mountain side. At least in my midtown neighborhood we have no more than 2 inches of rain since January 1. That statistic suggest not playing with fire until further notice.

  4. Any saguaros that were directly exposed to those flames are almost certainly dead, along with many other desert plants that grow very slowly and will not be replaced any time soon.

    But I have to ask–“the power of mother nature”??? What did that have to do with it, other than nothing at all?

    This is about the power of idiots with too much gunpowder on their hands. Don’t get me wrong, I like fireworks, but this A-Mountain-torching charade is getting ridiculous. Time to find a new location!

  5. The fireworks should be stopped until the city clears the buffelgrass.

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