Arizona, a small community in south-central r caught wildfire on Friday. Arizona remained under an evacuation notice after air tankers and crews prevented the spread of wildfire. The wildfire destroyed at least 12 homes, officials reported.
The fire raged through the thick vegetation at the base of the Gila River in Dudleyville. The Gila River is a census-designated area with a population of about 1,000 located around 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Tucson.
On Thursday, Officials stated the fire spread to an estimated 500 acres (2 square kilometers) with containment around 20% of its perimeter as of Friday.
The reason for the fire was still under investigation.
The Sheriff’ of the country’s Office reported that about 200 residents were evacuated. Also, the evacuation notice shall be lifted Friday evening or Saturday morning.
Crews on Friday continued to construct fire lines to keep the fire away from reaching Dudleyville if winds gust again. The utility crews also needed to check for damage caused to power lines that were de-energized onThursday, said state Department of Forestry and Forest Management spokeswoman Tiffany Davila.
Nearly 40 people spent the night at a shelter at a high school in a nearby community, Red Cross spokesman Mike Sagara told.
There was no direct report of injuries. Almost 100 people were allowed to stop the fire.
This was Arizona’s worst wildfire season in nearly a decade in 2020 according to state Forestry and Fire Management Department officials.
Officials have predicted that there is a potential for widespread, statewide fire activity by June.
There were various factors for last year’s severe wildfire. These factors were. season were unseasonably hot conditions, less moisture, an excess of fuels across Arizona’s central region and within the Sonoran Desert, and increased recreational traffic over the state.
