Butte Fire (AZ)
Satellite image: NASA MODIS (infrared — active fire in orange/red, from yesterday).
Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).
Quick facts
- Location
- 20 Miles SW from San Carlos, AZ
- Cause
- Natural
- Complexity
- Type 4 Incident
- Fuel
- Tall Grass (2.5 feet)
- Behavior
- Extreme, Backing
- Jurisdiction
- BIA · Federal land
Averaging 335 acres per day over its first two days of activity, the active Butte Fire has burned through 670 acres of federal land in Gila County, Arizona. Located 20 miles southwest of San Carlos, the natural-caused wildfire is currently uncontained, driven by extreme behavior and backing through 2.5-foot tall grass.
Satellites have registered five heat detections near the perimeter over the past 48 hours, while the incident remains under the management of a Type 4 Incident Commander. Operations for the Type 4 incident have accrued an estimated cost of $10,000.
This incident occurs during the region's typical fire season, which runs from June to October. Nationally, the wildfire landscape stands at 2,603,769 hectares burned so far in 2026, marking a total that is 52% below the two-decade average.
In context
This wildfire has been burning in Arizona for 2 days. So far it has affected roughly 670 acres — about 2.7 km². Crews report no containment yet, so the fire can still spread.
In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.
The bigger picture in United States
Across United States, roughly 2,603,769 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 52% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.
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Community reports
Reports from people near the fire · unverified
Not official emergency information. In an emergency, contact fire services/authorities.
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