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Tunnel Fire investigation fails to uncover specific cause

The Tunnel Fire exploded in growth on Tue, April 19, 2022 as heavy winds funneled it to the northeast. It's burned at least two dozen homes and forced the evacuation of more than 2,000 people.
Brady Smith/USFS
The Tunnel Fire exploded in growth on Tue, April 19, 2022 as heavy winds funneled it to the northeast. It's burned at least two dozen homes and forced the evacuation of more than 2,000 people.

The investigation into the cause of last summer’s devastating Tunnel Fire near Flagstaff is complete.

Coconino National Forest officials say, while it identified the origin site of the blaze, the specific cause of the wildfire wasn’t determined.

The wildfire started on April 17 of last year near the Timberline and Fernwood community.

According to forest officials, crews had extinguished all signs of the fire and control lines held through the next day.

But warm weather and winds reaching 60 miles an hour two days later caused explosive growth of the fire which eventually destroyed 30 homes east of the San Francisco Peaks and threatened more than 1,300 structures.

It was fully contained more than a month later and no lives were lost.

Officials encourage anyone who may know who caused the Tunnel Fire to contact law enforcement.