Pinal County's Margo Fire shows signs of an impending busy wildfire season

PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. - The Margo Fire destroyed more than a dozen homes in Pinal County and fire officials say this is just the start of a busy fire season.

What's left of a home on Mesquite Road is still smoldering, just like 15 others in Dudleyville.

The fire has burned nearly 1,200 acres and is 80% contained as of April 11.

State fire officials say the flames torched more than a thousand acres and was human-caused.

The homes in its path were no match in the rural Pinal County neighborhood.

The American Red Cross of Arizona is gathering supplies and resources to help each family get by for at least a week. The Salvation Army was also getting food together.

Ken Edelblute with American Red Cross of Arizona says the stress of the fire was too much for the families to want to share what happened.

"We have mental health counselors to help them deal with the stress. You can imagine how stressful it is to lose everything you own," Edelblute said.

The trees surrounding the community center where they now gather demonstrate the heat of the flames. The ash on the ground looks more like snow.

"It’s going to be a crazy year," Edelblute said. It’s just April and this is already the second fire Ken’s team has responded to.

He added, "Two years ago I responded to two events in the summer. Last summer I responded to 16."

This fire season is already a month ahead of last year's record response.