According to Sen. John McCain, wild fire that wreaked havoc in Arizona was caused by illegal immigrants. There is substantial evidence that some of these fires are caused by people who have crossed our border illegally, McCain said at a press conference Saturday after touring the Wallow fire, which began on May 29 and has burned over 500,000 acres to date.

Though he couldn't support his claim with any evidence, he said that securing the borders is the answer to the problem. They have set fires because they signal others, they have set fires to keep warm, and they have set fires in order to divert law enforcement agents and agencies from them. The answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border, McCain said.

Later, ABC News reported that according to a U.S. Forest Service official there is no evidence that illegal immigrants started some of the wildfires in Arizona, as McCain had claimed. Spokesman for the federal group managing the Wallow fire, Tom Berglund, said that the cause of the fire has been determined as human. He said that the fire was an escaped campfire, meaning the campfire sparked beyond the confines of the rocks containing it. When asked if the fire was caused by illegal immigrants Berglund said There's no evidence that I'm aware, no evidence that's been public, indicating such a thing.

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