Garden Hoses and Fire Extinguishers: Yavapai County Sheriff’s Deputies Help Stop Brush Fire

On Friday, June 5th, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) deputies’ quick thinking successfully contained a brush fire. High winds and hot, dry conditions created a dangerous situation.

On that afternoon, YCSO deputies responded to a fast-moving brush fire in Rimrock. When deputies arrived, they found the fire spreading rapidly and threatening several nearby homes. The initial responding deputies immediately began conducting door-to-door evacuations and establishing roadblocks. As flames inched closer to homes, they jumped in with garden hoses and fire extinguishers to stop the flames. Firefighters arrived shortly after and eliminated any further threat. Structural damage was kept to a minimum. After the initial investigation, the cause was unknown, but it is believed to be human caused.

At the same time as the Rimrock incident, fire crews and deputies responded to a separate blaze in Cornville. That fire was quickly knocked down, resulting in minimal damage to a single home. An initial investigation suggests the fire was started by young children playing with a flammable object.

Additionally, deputies have responded to reports of people target shooting in forested areas. During fire restrictions, target shooting in non-designated shooting ranges is prohibited. It is a misdemeanor, and the Sheriff’s office will enforce with a criminal ticket. Please continue to check local fire restrictions before target shooting.

Other Incidents and Crucial Public Safety Reminder

Over the past couple of weeks, deputies and fire personnel have responded to several other small brush and residential fires across the county. The causes of these recent fires range from finding a campfire near Crown King that was never put out, a backyard barbecue grill mishap, to a ranch worker accidentally igniting dry brush while operating an electric chainsaw, as well as several lightning-caused fires this past weekend. These incidents serve as a serious warning that dry brush catches fire easily and spreads rapidly, especially under windy conditions. Please exercise extreme caution when using flammable yard tools, outdoor equipment, or toys during these summer months.

Thankfully, the fires were successfully contained before spreading further into neighborhoods.