A wildfire northeast of Phoenix has led to nearly 200 firefighters battling the flames on the ground, with air tankers and helicopters assisting from above. The fire, threatening many homes, has forced dozens of residents to evacuate.
Authorities have expanded the evacuation zone in a subdivision on Scottsdale’s northeast outskirts. Roads have been closed, and part of a nature preserve has been shut down as gusty winds continue to spread the flames in the extremely hot, dry weather.
Despite the dangerous conditions, there have been no reports of injuries or damage to structures so far, according to Arizona fire officials.
High Temperatures and Evacuations
In Phoenix, where temperatures reached 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) on Friday, about 60 residents evacuated their homes in the Boulder Heights subdivision overnight. The fire, caused by human activity, started around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Fire officials are investigating the exact cause of the blaze, which ignited about 5 miles (8 kilometers) east of Carefree, near northern Scottsdale and the Tonto National Forest.
Named the Boulder View Fire, the blaze has burned around 5 square miles (13 square kilometers) with no containment yet, authorities reported. The southeast side of the fire remained active throughout the night, producing flame lengths of 20-40 feet (6-12 meters).
Tiffany Davila, a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, stated that additional resources were sent to that side of the fire to protect structures and help crews control the flames.
Evacuation Centers and Animal Shelters
The Red Cross has set up an evacuation center at a high school in Scottsdale. Shelters for horses and other large animals have been established at several locations, including the rodeo grounds in nearby Cave Creek. Scottsdale officials have closed part of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve as a precaution, though they noted there is no immediate threat to the area.
Air tankers carrying red fire retardants and helicopters with large water buckets have been assisting ground crews to keep the flames away from power lines in the area.
The National Weather Service predicts that above-normal temperatures will continue into next week, with many lower desert areas experiencing highs near or exceeding 110 degrees F (43 C) each afternoon.
Fire Situations in Oregon and California
In central Oregon, some fire crews are being released from duty as conditions have improved and the threat to the La Pine community has decreased after evacuations earlier this week. The Darlene 3 fire, near La Pine, has burned about 6 square miles (15 square kilometers) and is 42% contained.
In Central California, around 200 firefighters are making progress on a large fire that has burned about 9 square miles (23 square kilometers) east of Fresno. This is the only fire still burning out of 18 that were ignited by lightning along the Sierra Nevada’s western edge earlier this week.
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