Name: Wildfire in Arizona, April 2 to 4, 2018
Start: 2018-04-02T15:00
End: 2018-04-04T09:00
Location: Arizona

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $50,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS TWC wrote it up.

The human caused Adobe Fire started on April 2 in southeast Cochise County and was spread by gusty southwest winds through 261 acres of grass and dry brush. Two outbuildings were lost but no injuries occurred.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 2, 2:00 PM MST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 2, 2:00 PM MST, 1 hour before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
200 PM MST Mon Apr 2 2018

.SYNOPSIS...A weak disturbance will pass through the region bringing
gusty winds into early this evening, followed by a few degrees of
cooling Tuesday. Otherwise, we'll see dry conditions with
unseasonably warm daytime temperatures into the weekend.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A warm and breezy afternoon across southeast Arizona
as the area is just to the east of a weak elongated shortwave trough
axis. Current wind gusts of 30 to 35 mph are being observed across
Cochise County with slightly lesser values elsewhere. A few spots
will continue to see brief critical fire weather conditions this
afternoon but it will not be widespread.

A Tucson and southeast Arizona version of Aprilesque weather is in
store the remainder this week into the weekend under dry westerly
flow aloft as the storm track remains to our north. For Tuesday,
there will be just a little bit of residual moisture on the tail end
of weak shortwave passing well to our north which may result in a
few build-ups across the White Mountains but kept PoPs below
mentionable levels. Temperatures will be slightly cooler on Tuesday
but will warm right back up Wednesday and especially Thursday
through Saturday to well above normal levels as Tucson flirts with
90 degrees. A few breezes are expected as early as Friday mainly
east of Tucson and continuing through the weekend. The most notable
weather system will be a shortwave trough progressing through the
Great Basin and northern Arizona Saturday night into Sunday. Not
much sensible weather for most of us, but a slight chance of showers
is possible mainly for the White Mountains. Temperatures will cool
down slightly Sunday and Monday.

&&

.AVIATION...Valid through 04/00Z.
SKC-SCT clouds above 20kt ft AGL through the period. SFC wind SW 15-
20 kts with gusts of 25-30 kts, diminishing in speed this evening.
Expect some afternoon gustiness again Tuesday. Aviation discussion
not updated for TAF amendments.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...A weak disturbance passing through the region
was bringing gusty southwest winds to the area this afternoon. These
gusty 20-ft winds will begin to diminish in speed this evening.
Until then, a few spots in eastern Santa Cruz and Cochise counties
could experience brief critical fire weather conditions due to an
elevated fire danger rating and very low humidity values in addition
to the strong winds. Otherwise, the main storm track will remain
north of the area this week. This will result in more dry conditions
with daytime temperatures remaining above normal. The tail end of a
weather system was forecast to pass through this coming weekend.
That said, a few showers might be possible in the White Mountains,
but strong and gusty winds will be the main concern on Sunday.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None.

&&

Discussion...Lader
Aviation/Fire Weather...Davis

Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet

When: April 2, 3:00 PM MST to April 4, 9:00 AM MST
Where: Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 31.880, -109.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The human caused Adobe Fire started on April 2nd in southeast Cochise County and quickly spread through 261 acres of grass and dry brush by southwest winds gusting to between 30 and 35 mph. Ten residents were evacuated and several roads were closed after the onset of the fire due to the threat to nearby structures. A small shed and a larger barn were lost as the fire jumped Double Adobe Road, but no injuries occurred. The fire was largely contained after dark that evening, but was not fully contained until April 4th.

What these are

Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 2018 Every state in 2018 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, April 2018

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 738541.