All articles tagged with #tonto national forest
Mark Aaron Gatz pleaded guilty to violating federal fire restrictions and unlawfully occupying the Tonto National Forest after living at a makeshift campsite for about eight years, surrounded by roughly 1,000 pounds of trash. He had prior citations and warrants and was sentenced to time served plus three years of probation.
Mark Aaron Gatz admitted to living illegally for about eight years at a campsite in Arizona's Tonto National Forest, where roughly 1,000 pounds of trash accumulated. He pleaded guilty to violating fire restrictions and unlawful residential use of a federal forest, was sentenced to three months of probation and a $20 criminal penalty, and avoided up to $5,000 in restitution; he also agreed to avoid visiting Arizona national forests and using cannabis.
Evacuation orders have been issued for residents in the community of Sunflower, Arizona, due to the Diamond Fire, a wildfire near State Route 87. The fire has burned approximately 100 acres and is located about 31 miles northeast of Scottsdale. Ground and air crews are working to control the blaze, and a Red Cross evacuation center has been set up to provide information and resources for evacuees.
The body of an 18-year-old man, identified as Parker League, who went missing while visiting Arizona, was found in a bonfire pile in a remote desert area near Bulldog Canyon in the Tonto National Forest. His death has been determined as malicious and the investigation is ongoing.
A wildfire, named the Bullet Fire, has forced the closure of SR 87 near Fort McDowell in both directions. The fire has burned approximately 450 acres in the Lower Sycamore area of the Tonto National Forest. Hotshot fire crews and air tankers are fighting the flames, but no structures are currently threatened. The closure of SR 87 has no estimated time of reopening.
The Bullet Fire in the Tonto National Forest near Bush Highway has shut down travel in both directions on SR 87. The fire is about 200 acres and is being fought by air and ground. The Sugar Loaf area has been evacuated, but no structures are threatened at this time.