It was July 7, 1995 and all it took was a single lightening strike and poof, 23,000 acres (14,000 of them in the McDowell Mountain Park) went up in smoke. The Rio Fire ground strike happened somewhere east of Scottsdale Road and north of dynamite Boulevard and was considered the largest-ever desert wildfire in the Phoenix Metro area.

A brisk wind fanned the fire and it spread rapidly in a southwest direction toward the east side of Troon Village.  Based on the magnitude of the blaze, Arizona Governor Fife Symington declared it a “Campaign Fire”, and with that came much needed state and federal emergency assistance for the massive firefighting effort.  

Fortunately, in ‘95 the Troon Village population was just a fraction of today’s residential numbers. But, many of those who were living there at that time were required to evacuate their homes. Happy Valley Road was closed to all traffic at Alma School Road and further east for almost two days. The Pinacle Presbyterian Church on the corner of Pima and Happy Valley Roads opened its doors to the now homeless evacuees. Safeway supermarket offered complimentary bottled water to displaced individuals and their pets. There appeared to be a strong possibility that homes in the Village were in imminent danger.

The Rio fire was considered 50% contained on the third day when the winds slowed and fire lines were established in the McDowell Park area. In the end, no lives, homes or other structures were lost in the Fire thanks to the heroic and dedicated efforts of the 500+ firefighters, some coming as far as Douglas, Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Colorado. Plant and wildlife weren’t as lucky. It was estimated it would take 80 – 100 years for the burned Saguaro population to recover. Large animal species were able to escape the flames but, sadly, smaller animals, snakes and desert tortoises could not

 get out of harm’s way.

Eighteen-years later, a 2013 Park study of the fire-ravaged area showed that most of the vegetation was having a “strong” recovery and the wildlife, big and small, had returned.

FIGHTING THE RIO FIRE

16 Fire Engines

6 Helicopters

3 Single-engine planes

39 Fire Departments

500+ Firefighters

Acknowledgment: Bob Mason, A Peek at the Peak magazine

Image: Scottsdale Public Library, , 9/03/2019, Rio Fire Damage, Aerial Views, 1995 [digital resource],