TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- A successful burnout and heavy rains helped reduce the potential for the 22,500-acre Florida fire to threaten Madera Canyon, officials said.
Crews had burned fuels on the east side of Madera Canyon, where there are about 30 homes and cabins. The area also received up to an inch of rain Monday night.
The rain ''was really helpful in terms of the fire,'' said Jennifer Plyler, a spokeswoman for the team fighting the fire. ''We have gone from suppression mode to rehabilitation mode.''
More than 600 firefighters on Tuesday began to restore roads that were used during the fire, prepare fire lines so they could avoid erosion from more rain and remove equipment from Madera Canyon and the mountains.
Firefighters would be further reduced in the next two days as crews were expected to transition from an elite type-1 firefighting team to a type-3 team on Thursday.
The fire was 60 percent contained Tuesday. Full containment was expected by next week, said Bill Duemling, a spokesman for the team fighting the fire.
Residents and employees evacuated from Madera Canyon and a major astronomical observatory on nearby Mount Hopkins last week.
The fire was caused by lightning July 7.
INDIAN HILLS FIRE
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- A 600-acre fire burning along the San Pedro River was 20 percent contained with full containment expected by Wednesday.
''There's little projected movement expected unless you get a thunderstorm,'' said Judy Wood, a spokeswoman for the State Land Department.
Firefighters continued to mop up the fire and use bulldozers to reinforce lines on the south end of the blaze Tuesday.
The Indian Hills fire caused the evacuation of about 100 residents living in about 30 trailer homes and other homes in Dudleyville on Sunday. Residents were allowed to return home Monday.
The fire, which started Sunday, had also destroyed three homes and 10 other buildings. The cause was under investigation.
PEACHVILLE FIRE
SUPERIOR, Ariz. (AP) -- A fire that was believed to have been started by lightning in the Tonto National Forest had grown to about 2,000 acres by Tuesday, a forest spokeswoman said.
The Peachville fire was about three miles north of Superior, though forest spokeswoman Emily Garber said the winds were pushing the fire away from the town.
''They're not out of it yet, but that is a hopeful sign,'' Garber said.
About 50 firefighters built lines and dropped retardant around the southern part of the fire to keep it away from both the town and a 115-kilovolt power line that serves Superior and Phoenix.
Other fires burning in the Tonto National Forest include the 11,000-acre Edge Complex fire, which is burning near the Beeline Highway 20 miles northeast of Mesa, and the Miles fire, which has burned 600 acres about 10 miles north of Superior.
The fires were not imminently threatening any structures.
PRESCOTT FOREST FIRES
PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) -- A wildfire that began as two-lightning sparked blazes in the Prescott National Forest had grown to about 6,000 acres by Tuesday but was about 5 percent contained.
Firefighters were working to keep the fire out of the pristine Cedar Bench Wilderness Area, said Debbie Maneely, a Prescott National Forest spokeswoman.
Firefighters also built defensible space around the historic Arnold Place cabin about a mile north of the blaze and a communications site three miles northeast of the fire.
Crews also cleared debris and brush from around cabins and ranches in the area as a precaution, though no structures were threatened as of Tuesday, Maneely said.
About 340 firefighters conducted burnout operations and built lines around the fire Tuesday.
NEW RIVER FIRE
NEW RIVER, Ariz. (AP) -- Up to 20 homes were evacuated Tuesday night after a fast-moving brush fire burned about 60 acres near the small town, authorities said.
Officials with the Phoenix and Daisy Mountain fire department said the evacuations were made only as a precaution.
There was no immediate estimate on containment.
The fire, burning east of Interstate 17, was aided by high winds and heavy fuels, according to authorities who did not immediately know how the blaze started.
