CAVE CREEK, Ariz. (AP) — Crews appeared to be getting the upper hand on a brush fire that has charred 1.8 square miles in the town of Cave Creek, destroying at least 10 structures and forcing the evacuations of up to 500 people.
Arizona State Forestry and Fire Management officials said the fire reported Saturday afternoon was believed to be human caused.
Video feeds from Phoenix TV news station helicopters showed the fire all but extinguished, but forestry officials still had it as only 5% contained.
Of the structures destroyed, several appeared to be homes or horse stables.
Maricopa County sent out an evacuation alert around 1:45 p.m. for residents south of Tonto National Forest, north of Cave Creek Road, east of New River Road and west of Scopa Trail.
Authorities said the brush fire was fueled by triple-digit temperatures, dry vegetation and wind gusts as it more than doubled in size over a two-hour period Saturday.
大约200名消防员from Daisy Mountain and Phoenix and the Rural Metro Fire Department were battling the blaze Sunday morning and air tankers were making slurry drops.
It comes a week after crews contained another human-caused brush fire near Cave Creek, about 33 miles (53 kilometers) north of Phoenix.
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