SCOTTSDALE, Arizona. More than 200 firefighters were battling a wildfire in northeast Phoenix on Saturday that threatened dozens of homes and forced dozens of residents to evacuate.
No structures were damaged as the wildfire burned through nearly six square miles of the Boulder Heights subdivision boundary, said Matthew Wilcox, spokesman for a multiagency wildfire response team.
There were 275 people fighting the fire on Saturday as temperatures surpassed 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) before noon, with gusty winds expected in the afternoon.
“We still have exceptionally high humidity and hot weather,” Wilcox said. “We don’t have any wind at the moment, but gusts have been forecast.”
Air tankers and helicopters helped put flames out of the sky above the Boulder View fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation. It all started about 5 miles east of Carefree, on the northern outskirts of Scottsdale, on the edge of the Tonto National Forest.
The Red Cross set up an evacuation center at a high school in Scottsdale, and shelters for horses and other large animals were established at several locations, including the rodeo grounds in nearby Cave Creek.
In central California, rising temperatures and low relative humidity this weekend could result in worsening wildfire conditions at the Fresno June Lightning Complex. The complex — made up of three large fires in eastern Fresno County as well as several smaller fires — was nearly 17 square miles (44 square kilometers) and 42% contained as of Saturday morning. One structure was confirmed destroyed and evacuation orders remained in effect.
To the north, the Apache Fire in Butte County has destroyed 14 structures and damaged two others since Monday. The fire reached one square mile (2.8 square kilometers) and was 95% contained as of Saturday morning.
Crews were making good progress Saturday on the Darlene 3 fire in central Oregon. It was contained to 6 square miles (15 square kilometers) and was 50% contained as of Saturday morning.
The weather helped with firefighting efforts. Light winds, cooler temperatures and high humidity overnight contributed to firefighters’ progress. It also allowed the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office to reduce the evacuation level for Newberry Estates from Level 3 to Level 2. All other evacuation warnings have been lifted for the area west of Highway 97.
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