Wind-blown smoke could be seen over the weekend as far away as Sonoita and Nogales as a wildfire burned close to 2,660 acres of Coronado National Forest and private lands in the San RafaelValley.

Slurry planes and choppers race the sun in an effort to cut off the Lochiel Fire that burned within a quarter mile of the headquarters to the San Rafael Cattle Co. By nightfall the blaze was stopped just as air support had to be called off. Photos / JB Miller

By Sunday, the “Lochiel Fire” was fully contained.

Coronado National Forest spokesperson Buzz Ostermann said smoke was reported on Thursday at 4:43 p.m. at the southwest end of the valley, approximately two miles northwest of Lochiel. Firefighters from the Coronado National Forest, Patagonia Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, and Sonoita-Elgin Fire Deptartment responded to the San Antonio Ranch where the blaze threatened several structures. No structures were lost, however.

The blaze continued to move in a northeast direction and burned within a quarter-mile of the headquarters of the San Rafael Cattle, Co., said Capt. Ike Isakson of the Patagonia Fire and Rescue.

In addition to ground crews fighting the fire, an air-tanker and helicopter conducted drops of slurry and water until nightfall.

By Friday morning the fire had calmed and dense smoke was visible due to downed trees and brush that continued to burn in a few draws. The cause of the fire is unknown, officials said.

Arivaca blaze

In an unrelated incident, a fire on state land west of Arivaca has grown to more than 5,400 acres �” about 8 square miles �” and is expected to continue burning for the next several days.

More than 200 people and two helicopters are battling the Elk Horn Fire, which began Thursday afternoon near the Baboquivari Peak Wilderness Area and is believed to be human-caused.

Burnout operations by fire crews during the next several days are expected to increase the amount of smoke visible from the blaze, which was at 8 percent containment as of Monday, said Arizona State Forestry Division spokeswoman Judy Wood.

She says fire crews are providing structure protection for the Los Delicious Ranch and in Brown Canyon.

The rugged, steep terrain of the wilderness area, about 50 miles southwest of Tucson, is popular with hikers and climbers.

Crews battling the blaze are with the Arizona State Forestry Division, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management.

(Editor’s note: The Arivaca fire story was reported by Jaime Richardson of the Green Valley News, a sister newspaper of the Nogales International.)