A wildfire on Mount Lemmon was considered under control, but hotshot crews will continue to fight the blaze through the night, the sheriff's department said.

The Montrose Fire was discovered at about 5 a.m. in the area of Box Spring, about three miles northwest of Rose Canyon Lake. It is believed to be human caused, said Heidi Schewel, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman.

The 12-acre fire is burning in heavy downed timber and brush, Schewel said.

Helicopters will continue dropping water on the fire until about 7 p.m., the sheriff's department said. Rose Canyon Lake is expected to be reopened for fishing on Friday morning.

Shortly after 1 p.m., Pima County sheriff's deputies assisted in the rescue of a hiker who was discovered nearby. The man was dehydrated, after having been on the trail for a few days, and is not considered to have any connection with the fire, said department spokesman, Deputy Ryan Inglett.

Roughly 60 personnel are fighting the fire, with four helicopters dropping water from Rose Canyon Lake and hand crews engaged in full fire suppression efforts, Schewel said.

The lake is temporarily closed for recreational activities and motorists are asked to avoid the area.

Contact reporter Caitlin Schmidt at cschmidt@tucson.com or 573-4191 Follow @caitlincschmidt



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