By admin 
CIBOLA, AZ (AZFamily) — A brush fire burning in southwestern Arizona is creating major disruptions for residents and local agricultural workers in the rural community of Cibola after destroying a critical bridge over the Colorado River.
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The Island Fire, which has burned thousands of acres, destroyed the Hart Mine Bridge, a key crossing connecting Arizona to California. The collapse marks the second time a bridge in the immediate area has been lost to fire in the past year, leaving the community increasingly isolated.
Farmer Amy Etienne, whose alfalfa fields were damaged by the flames, recalled the terrifying moment the fire reached her property.
“I walked out of our bedroom into the living room, and the living room was orange — like bridge orange,” Etienne said. “I looked at the sliding glass door, and it was just a wall of fire.”
Realizing the threat to the entire local ecosystem, Etienne and her husband were among the first to call 911.
“Where my heart is, those animals that are over there, their homes,” Etienne said, visibly emotional. “You know where they live, the trees, they are just gone.”
Etienne said she never imagined the fire would manage to cross the Colorado River from California into Arizona. That was until she saw flames tearing directly through the middle of the wood-supported Hart Mine Bridge.
At one point, she witnessed a lone man desperately trying to save the bridge by throwing water on it, but the structure was already fully engulfed.
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“It was smoldering; we could smell it,” Etienne said. “It was hot near the bridge, so we knew that it wasn’t good.”
The loss of the Hart Mine Bridge is a severe blow to Cibola, where residents depend on it to travel into Yuma or cross into California. For local agriculture, the impact is devastating, as farmers rely on the route to transport produce and heavy machinery.
Now, navigability in the region is an uphill battle. But Etienne says the tight-knit community is determined to demand solutions from officials.
“You can’t let it go anymore,” Etienne said. “I know Cibola is small, but we are mighty, and I know that all of us are going to be together. State and local government levels, we are going to get it fixed and figured out. This needs to be addressed.”
Fire officials said Wednesday the Island Fire has burned 3,145 acres is 65% contained. The Cibola National Wildlife Refuge and Hart Mine Road remain closed to the public.
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