There is a wildfire in the northeast of Phoenix, which has necessitated evacuations and put a number of homes at risk with about 200 firefighters accompanied by helicopters and air tankers are trying to contain it.
The fire started on Thursday afternoon as a result of human activity and it is currently burning near Scottsdale within the Boulder Heights subdivision; therefore, around 60 residents have been evacuated while threatening parts along Tonto National Forest. There were no injuries or structural damage reported by authorities.
The ‘Boulder View Fire’, no containment, has burned about five square miles so far. The flames are being fueled by gusty winds and very hot, dry conditions. In several areas the fire made flame lengths between twenty and forty feet.
Last night they redirected more resources to that side of the fire allowing for structure protection and helping crews start firing operations to tie the fire into nearby roads,” said Tiffany Davila from Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management as quoted by AP.
Evacuation efforts have been coordinated with Red Cross setting up a center at a high school in Scottsdale. Horse stabling including rodeo grounds at Cave Creek were organized as an emergency step should animals need sheltering. Some portions of McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale have been closed off but officials stated there was no immediate threat.
Air tankers equipped with red retardant and helicopters with giant buckets of water have supported ground crews in their efforts to keep the flames away from power lines.
The National Weather Service says desert locations will continue experiencing above average temperatures through next week with highs around or exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit on some days.
In this development, southward conditions improved earlier for Bend Oregon because there is less danger coming from La Pine’s wild fire thereby releasing some firefighting personnel. Darlene 3 Fire located near La Pine has consumed an approximate six-square mile area now under forty-two percent containment status. Almost fifty percent of its perimeter has been enclosed with fire lines.
This severe blaze, which has consumed an estimated nine square miles about sixty miles from Fresno in the east of Central California, is being fought by around 200 firefighters. Out of 18 fires that were sparked by lightning storms along the western side of the Sierra Nevada earlier this week, it is one of those that still remains unquenched.
