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Wildfire near Arivaca now 25 percent contained

Posted at 7:04 PM, Feb 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-09 20:33:15-05

ARIVACA, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) - Crews have gained the upper hand on a wildfire caused by a Davis-Monthan training mission. 

Kevin Bailey with the Arizona State Forestry Division says that aircraft were able to map the fire area Tuesday and determined that the fire burned 1,022 acres. 

The Amigo Wash Fire started at 12:30 p.m. Monday about 1.5 miles northeast of Arivaca. 

According to a statement released by Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, an Airman on the ground tried to signal an aircraft overhead in order to indicate his location and inadvertently started a fire. 

Green Valley Fire, Arivaca Fire, Elephant Head Fire, Tubac Fire, AZ State Land, Rio Rico Fire and Nogales Fire all responded to the fire that is burning in grass and brush.

Bailey said that crews did good work Monday night and there was some frost that helped dampen the area.

"Last night we had some crews that were putting fire on the ground as a proactive measure to reinforce containment lines," said Bailey. "That fire held last night." 

He says the expect some crews to go home Monday night while remaining firefighters will continue to look for hot spots. He said they don't expect the fire to continue growing.