Name: Wildfire in Arizona, June 6 to 30, 2020
Start: 2020-06-06T09:08
End: 2020-06-30T23:59
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.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
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.

Lightning ignited the Bringham Fire in the White Mountains 22 miles north of Morenci, on June 6th. The fire spread rapidly, driven by multiple days of strong winds before becoming fully contained on July 29th after consuming a total of 23,142 acres. The cost of fighting the fire was estimated at over $9 million.

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 Jun 6, 3:18 AM MST, 5 hours 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 6, 3:18 AM MST, 5 hours 50 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
318 AM MST Sat Jun 6 2020

.SYNOPSIS...In the wake of our passing weather system from
yesterday, much cooler weather will prevail. The cooler weather
will persist through Tuesday, before southeastern Arizona starts
heating back up.

&&

.DISCUSSION...Closed low aloft that was over SoCal earlier today
continues to rapidly fill into an open wave as it moves northeast.
Cold front is currently pushing through southeast Arizona with
increased winds and a short bump in RH. Unfortunately, gustier
winds are allowing for some mixing, thus dropping RH values back
into the teens and holding locations in the 20 percent range. We
currently have fires in the Tortolita Mtns and two in the
Catalina Mtns. With the fires actively burning viewed by
satellite/photos, decided to add patchy smoke for areas in the
Catalina and Tortolita Mtns, Oracle, and other locations downwind.
The latest VIIRS pass was able to capture the fire in the
Tortolita Mtn range, so HRRR smoke modeling is capturing this
quite well. Will watch a few more runs and may add additional
patchy smoke downwind of the fire for the afternoon. There is
another fire burning in the Chiricahua Mtns that will likely have
visible smoke moving downwind this afternoon.

In the wake of the passing storm system, dry weather and breezy
winds are expected. It will also be much cooler today with highs
dropping below average. It will certainly fill nice after the
latest heat wave. This cooler weather will continue through at
least Tuesday, before things start to heat back up. Lower deserts
will be back in the 100-107 range by Wednesday and persisting
through the forecast period.

Moisture will try and seep into SE AZ and for areas along the
AZ/NM border by next weekend. Isolated showers and thunderstorms
will be possible, however confidence continues to be marginal at
this time. Moisture extent will depend on how trofing evolves over
the western US and the strength placement of the building high
pressure.

&&

.AVIATION...Valid through 07/12Z.
SCT-BKN clouds 12-15k ft MSL Tucson eastward with skies clearing
after 06/17Z. Isold -TSRA will be possible north and east of Tucson
through 06/15Z. Surface wind southwest at 5-15 kts with gusts to 20
kts this morning increasing to west to southwest 10-20 kts with
gusts to 35 kts this afternoon, highest wind speeds east of a
Willcox to Sierra Vista line. Winds easing to variable at 10 kts or
less after 07/03Z. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF
amendments.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...Red Flag Warning has been issued for today for zone
153 and much of zone 152. Gusty afternoon winds combined with very
low humidity levels are expected today that area.  Also, many cloud
to ground lightning strikes were noted last night in this area
from the Chiricahua Mountains north through Greenlee county
including the high peaks of the White Mountains. Dry and breezy
conditions will continue Sunday afternoon, with the strongest
winds well east of Tucson. Red Flag conditions are not expected
Sunday, however fire weather conditions will be elevated.

Dry and a bit cooler than average Monday into Tuesday then a rapid
warmup will occur Wednesday onward with areas of Haines 6 conditions
developing and minimum RH levels generally dropping below 15% each
day below 6000 ft.  There is a slight chance for a few thunderstorms
late next week into the weekend primarily over the White
Mountains.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Red Flag Warning from 10 AM this morning to 6 PM MST this
evening for AZZ152-153.

&&

Public...Michael
Aviation...Cerniglia
Fire Weather....Cerniglia

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, White Mountains of Graham and Greenlee Counties

When: June 6, 9:08 AM MST to June 30, 11:59 PM MST
Where: White Mountains of Graham and Greenlee Counties forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 33.074, -109.563 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning ignited the Bringham Fire in the White Mountains 22 miles north of Morenci, on June 6th. The fire spread rapidly, driven by multiple days of strong winds. Over 30 miles of U.S. Highway 191 were closed to traffic for most of the duration of the wildfire. By the end of the month, the fire consumed its maximum acreage of 23,142 acres, but was only 40% contained. Full containment of 100% did not occur until July 29th.

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 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, June 2020

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: 907515.