By admin 
GREER, AZ (AZFamily) — Residents and business owners in far eastern Arizona are hoping for a rebound summer a year after a major wildfire took a big bite out of their busy season.
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The Greer Fire started on May 13, 2025, burning more than 20,000 acres, destroying three buildings and forcing hundreds to evacuate their homes.
The fire hit small Apache County communities hard. They typically thrive on tourism during the summer months, but that wasn’t the case last year.
“Last year was really hard for us. It was the kickoff of our summer. And, unfortunately, that fire came through right when it was about to start. So we’re really excited about this year,” Melissa Sandahl said.
Sandahl is the general manager of the Greer Lodge Resort & Cabins. She’s ready to welcome both returning guests and new visitors to the cabins after a slow summer in 2025.
“As soon as (the Valley) hit 100, our phones are off the hook. Can’t keep up with them sometimes,” she said.
The Greer Fire sparked in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest last year, just weeks before Memorial Day.
“It’s just scary because it was a last-minute thing. The wind, I remember the wind definitely,” Sandahl said.
Winds quickly spread the fire, forcing highway closures and causing people, like Sarah York, to evacuate.
“Scary. Horrible. Definitely not a day I’d like to remember. It was pretty scary,” York said.
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Firefighters spent nearly two weeks battling the blaze before containing it, but both burn scars and emotional scars remain.
“We have the app that tells you when there’s a fire close and as soon as that sound went off, your heart just drops,” York said.
While images and thoughts of the fire may have kept visitors away for months after, business owners are focused on the present and future.
“We’ve kind of put it in the past. We’re just trying to build everything and make everything as beautiful as we can, make memories for families,” Sandahl said.
Residents also want people to be mindful of wildfire risks.
“There are so many different things that can cause a fire. And it just takes away the beauty up here, takes away the beauty anywhere,” York said.
Fire officials have yet to determine the cause of the Greer Fire.
The local fire district said it was believed to have been caused by a damaged electrical transformer, but that was quickly walked back by fire officials. A spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said the department is waiting for evidence collected by federal authorities to finish its report.
“It’s frustrating. It would be great to have an answer. Um, but either way, whether it’s Mother Nature, a lightning strike or a human caused fire, they’re both scary,” said York.
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