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More than 1,100 residents of the desert region of the U.S. state of Arizona have been evacuated due to a wind-driven wildfire, fire officials said Wednesday.
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According to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, the wildfire, dubbed the Diamond Fire, started Tuesday afternoon around 5:15 p.m. near Scottsdale, a city in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
The fire has grown rapidly, fueled by grass and brush, burning 10 square kilometers and threatening dozens of homes, authorities said. They said about 1,145 residents were evacuated near the fire that affected more than 100 homes Tuesday night.
Crews have successfully dug a containment line around the fire in north Scottsdale, officials added. About 300 firefighters, with aerial support, are continuing their efforts against the blaze.
The department noted that crews are working “against critical fire weather, hot and dry conditions, high winds, and low relative humidity, all of which play a crucial factor in fire activity.”
The #DiamondFire is 30% contained tonight at 1,960 acres. Decrease in acreage due to more accurate mapping. Fire stayed w/n its footprint despite today’s Red Flag conditions. Lifting of evacs being assessed. Crews mopping up hot edges.
More – ���� pic.twitter.com/GO1JFQdU1I— AZ State Forestry (@azstateforestry)
June 29, 2023
A spokeswoman for the Arizona Department, Tiffany Davila said, “We had a lot of success overnight. We have a line around the entire fire, and people are starting to mop up.” However, the official said flare-ups can still be seen.
Davila also said the fire is considered “zero percent contained” until the containment line holds, “and it will with the wind.” The spokesman cautioned that even if people don’t see smoke right now, “that doesn’t mean the fire is out.”
The official said a secondary structure has been destroyed by the fire, “but due to fire activity, a full assessment of the damage cannot be made at this time.”
Meanwhile, reports from the U.S. National Weather Service said dense fog settled over Chicago and other Great Lakes cities Tuesday due to wildfires in Canada. “Poor air quality due to smoke from Canadian wildfires will continue through Thursday,” the agency said via Twitter.
