Local law enforcement arrests arson suspect for Colorado River fire

UPDATE (9:36 p.m.): The Yuma County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) announced the arrest of an arson suspect for the fire that occurred early Saturday afternoon.

In a press release, YCSO was responding to the Colorado River and Zoo Island area when it received reports of a major fire.

In addition to YCSO, other agencies responded to the area including the Bureau of Land Management, Rural Metro, Lake Martinez Fire, Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) Fire, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

When deputies arrived, YCSO said the fire was active and fire crews were working to put it out because it was burning “several acres of Imperial National Wildlife Refuge wildlands.”

YCSO says the initial investigation revealed that arson was the cause of the fire and Jason Bradley Martin, 50, a Yuma resident, was arrested and booked into the Yuma County Detention Center for the following charges:

• Careless burning
• Arson on a structure/property
• Criminal damage
• Burning wildlands violated the order
• Put to danger

YCSO says the investigation is ongoing.

MARTINEZ LAKE, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Colorado River District's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is helping the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's fire program deal with a rapidly evolving wildfire.

According to an article on X, the wildfire is occurring in the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge along the Arizona-California border near Lake Martinez.

BLM says about 20 acres were burned.

KYMA will keep you informed of this latest news.