Yuma County Sheriff's Office Seeking Tips After Suspected Vernon Arsons

The Yuma County Sheriff's Office is asking the public for help after multiple suspected arson fires were discovered Feb. 18, 2026, in the Vernon area of eastern Yuma County. Investigators specifically requested information from potential witnesses, including reports of suspicious vehicles, and urged anyone with tips to call the sheriff’s non-emergency line at 928-783-4427 or submit an anonymous tip via 78-CRIME; emergency calls should be made to 911.

Sheriff’s Office materials and the original public notice describe the incidents only as “multiple arson fires” in the Vernon area and do not list street intersections, landmark locations, or a precise count of fires. The department’s initial request to the community emphasized vehicle descriptions as a lead priority but did not provide suspect descriptions, license-plate information, or photographs in the public notice.

YCSO has not confirmed whether county or state fire investigators, the Yuma County Fire Marshal, or federal partners such as the ATF are participating in the Vernon arson probe. The agency also has not released information about injuries, evacuations, structural damage or environmental impacts from the Feb. 18 incidents; those operational details remain unaddressed in the department’s public statement.

Residents seeking to contact investigators can reach the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office main administration at 141 S. 3rd Avenue, Yuma, AZ 85364, by calling the main office number at 928-783-6274 for appointments. The Sheriff’s Office posts its public-safety hours as 8:00am to 4:00pm and offers limited public services such as fingerprinting by appointment Monday through Friday between 9:00am and 11:00am, according to agency material available on its public pages.

The department has previously used the same tip channels in high-profile investigations. In May 2023, YCSO responded at 11:42 a.m. to Avenue 1E and County 18th Street after a dead body was found; that case involved 35-year-old Georgina Montoya of Somerton and the agency again urged tips to 928-783-4427 and 78-CRIME. The Vernon arson notices do not link the Feb. 18 incidents to any earlier cases; investigators have not provided any connection between the arson events and separate homicide investigations.

Detectives handling the Vernon arson investigation have asked community members to report any vehicle makes, models, colors, or partial license-plate numbers observed near Vernon on Feb. 18, 2026. The Sheriff’s Office stated it is cultivating leads with citizen assistance and has invited anyone with relevant information to call 928-783-4427, use 78-CRIME to remain anonymous, or contact the Sheriff’s Office through its posted online tip submission tools. The department has released no further timeline for updates as the investigation continues, and it is relying on public tips to develop actionable leads.