Firefighters Responding to Yaqui Fire at Coronado National Memorial

Contact: Katherine Hostetler, 520-346-2815

HEREFORD, Ariz. - Interagency wildland firefighters are responding to the Yaqui Fire, reported on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 1:17 p.m. The fire is located within Coronado National Memorial near Montezuma Pass. Contractors working along the border wall reported smoke and confirmation occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The fire is currently mapped at 55.5 acres with forward progress stopped.

As a precautionary measure, the Coronado Visitor Center and surrounding park buildings were evacuated Thursday afternoon. Montezuma Pass Road was temporarily closed from the National Park Service entrance to the U.S. Forest Service Forest Road 4781 and 61 junctions during suppression operations. There are currently no evacuations in place. Montezuma Pass Road and the Coronado Visitor Center are reopened with normal operating hours.

Wildland firefighters are actively working to suppress the fire and protect life, property, and natural and cultural resources. Fire crews worked through the night without issue. Today's operational objectives were to hold the current fire footprint and connect all established holding lines.

A full suppression response was initiated, including helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft support. Multiple interagency resources responded to the incident, including personnel from the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Department of the Interior Fire, U.S. Border Patrol, and local assisting agencies. Fire behavior today was low, with limited visible smoke observed. Weather conditions and firefighter access continue to support suppression operations.

For updated fire information, visit https://www.nps.gov/coro/planyourvisit/conditions.htm.

Active wildfire areas are always a No Drone Zone. Unauthorized drones in wildfire areas can immediately ground aerial firefighting operations, impacting firefighter and public safety.