Arizona, 2025

Wildfire in Arizona, May 1 to 8, 2025

May 1 to 8, 2025 · NWS TWC · 1 event in 1 county or zone

The Stronghold Fire started on April 28, near Sunsites-Pearce, AZ and continued through May 9th. The was fueled by high winds and drought stricken fuels.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$2,000
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 Stronghold Fire started on April 28, near Sunsites-Pearce, AZ and continued through May 9th. The was fueled by high winds and drought stricken fuels. The fire spread to nearby home and caused one secondary structure to be destroyed in the fire. The fire was human caused and burned around 2,138 acres.

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 30, 12:32 PM MST, 11 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 12:32 PM MST, 11 hours 28 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
1232 PM MST Wed Apr 30 2025

.SYNOPSIS...

Warming trend is on track with windy conditions and fire weather
concerns later this weekend.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

.Key Messages...

*Temperatures:

-Beginning today, temperatures will start to rise to at or above
 normal levels for the forecast period. Expect highs in and around
 Tucson to approach 90 deg the next several days.

*Winds and Fire Weather

-While it's early, we decided to pull the trigger on a Fire Weather
 Watch for this coming Sunday.

-Sustained winds will be from 25-30 mph with occasional gusts AOA
45 mph.

-RH values wil be at critical levels.

-With persistent dry conditions and fuels ready to go, in concert
 with several fire starts the past few days, felt it was best to
 start advertising this sooner rather than later.

&&

.AVIATION...

Westerly winds this afternoon with speeds of 8-12 kts and gusts
20 kts at all terminals. After 01/02Z, SFC winds will slowly
diminish to less than 10 kts. Aviation discussion not updated for
TAF amendments.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

Winds through Friday will generally be 10-15 mph with occasional
afternoon gusts. Temperatures will continue to warm to at or above
normal Thursday into Saturday. Friday and Saturday afternoons
there will be a 20-30 percent chance for dry lightning in the
White Mountains as a weak weather system moves through. This
weekend a stronger storm system will move in from the Pacific
leading to windy conditions with increasing potential for fire
weather concerns. At this time, the strongest winds look to be
Sunday when the greatest potential to see widespread critical fire
weather conditions is expected. Thus, issued a Fire Weather Watch
for Sunday to err on the side of caution to start ramping up the
messaging for this coming weekend for planning purposes in light
of several fire starts the past few days.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Fire Weather Watch from Sunday morning through Sunday evening
for AZZ151>153.

&&

Public...Singer
Aviation...Singer
Fire Weather....Singer

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
May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 8, 6:30 AM MST
Where
Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet forecast zone
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
31.880, -109.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Stronghold Fire started on April 28, near Sunsites-Pearce, AZ and continued through May 9th. The was fueled by high winds and drought stricken fuels. The fire spread to nearby home and caused one secondary structure to be destroyed in the fire. The fire was human caused and burned around 2,138 acres.

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 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, May 2025

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: 1265851.