Yesterday, there were reports from Northwest Fire and Marana PD that the Westridge Fire was a prescribed burn. That information was incorrect.
This morning I spoke with a representative at Arizona Forestry and Fire Management-Tucson Office and he reports that the Westridge Fire is indeed in Cochie Canyon and was caused by a lightning strike. It is not a prescribed burn.
I also spoke with a representative at Northwest Fire and she confirmed that it is not a prescribed burn and apologized for the mis-information given out yesterday.
The fire is now estimated at 2,200 acres and has moved NE to SW along the ridge and down to the Cochie Canyon Trail. The fire perimeter is expected to increase with hot temperatures and lots of dry fuel. Extra aircraft and ground crews have been ordered.
This fire is not yet showing up on the InciWeb Website but will probably be on the website tomorrow. If you have a Twitter account, you can follow the fire status at @azstateforestry and search for # WestridgeFire to get updates.
TA will keep you informed as new information becomes available.