Forward progress stopped on Spar Fire near Yarnell; barbecue grill blamed

YARNELL, AZ (AZFamily) — Officials say the Spar Fire, a wildfire in Yavapai County, was sparked Thursday afternoon by someone lighting a charcoal grill, and forward progress has since been stopped.

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The fire is burning along State Route 89 just west of the Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park, about two miles southwest of Yarnell. The fire led to the closure of a trail honoring firefighters who died in the line of duty more than a decade ago.

The fire was first reported at 12:30 p.m. and was moving northeast, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. The agency said forward progress was stopped shortly before 4 p.m., with the fire estimated at about 3.5 acres.

Fire officials say the flames burned through grass and brush and was caught up in rocks along a ridgeline.

Arizona Forestry crews, local engines, four Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) and a Bureau of Land Management helicopter responded.

Forestry officials say the fire was human-caused, the result of a charcoal grill.

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Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park honors the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighters who died battling the Yarnell Hill Fire on June 30, 2013.

The park’s trailhead and trail are closed while crews work to contain the Spar Fire, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.

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