Juvenile suspected in fire south of East Empire Street

According to Assistant Chief Shawn Bittle of the Cortez Fire Protection District, a brush fire south of East Empire Street near Wyoming Street was caused by a juvenile playing with fire. A block of East Empire Street was blocked for about a half-hour Wednesday afternoon as the Cortez Fire Department fought the fire. “It was a little intense there as it approached Empire, but we kept it on the south side of the road,” Bittle said.