Horseshoe 2 Fire

The Horseshoe 2 Fire was a 2011 wildfire located along the southeastern flank of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona. It began in Horseshoe Canyon on the Douglas Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest on May 8, 2011, at approximately 11:00 a.m. The fire was started by human activities, and burned over in its first day. By June 1, 2011, the fire had burned an area of over of grasses, shrubs, and trees along the mountain slopes. By June 8, it had grown to. By June 17, the fire was 65% contained and had become the fifth-largest wildfire in Arizona history. 100% containment was achieved on June 25 after a total area of had burned.

Post-fire conditions

Regions of the Chiricahua Mountains close to the small commonwealth of Portal are experiencing a slow ecological recovery after the Horseshoe 2 fire burned more than 200,000 acres in 2011. Both the biggest draws to the area are intact, but a lot has changed after the fire swept across the rugged mountains. Additionally, because of a mix of flood harm after the fire and infrequent maintenance, trail conditions have changed quickly, and particularly during monsoon season it is necessary to be careful.