Several active wildfires are sweeping through the United States’ Tonto National Forest in Arizona and has already destroyed 64,500 acres. The largest fire started on Saturday, 13 June and has not been contained yet.
About 1,500 residents in the communities of Punkin Center and Tonto Basin had evacuated as well as residents of the Sunflower community and Apache Lake. State highways have been closed, reports weather.com.
The mass movement of people is adding to authorities’ concerns in light of the coronavirus epidemic and residents were urged to avoid contact with others while relocating.
The cause of the disaster is believed to be a vehicle that caught fire, according to AZ Central. ‘This fire is burning very heavy,’ Tiffany Davila, public affairs officer for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said. ‘It’s running through dense fuels in the area, some of the reasons behind the smoke that we’re seeing.’
Over 400 firefighters are currently trying to contain the blaze.
NEW: @NOAA‘s #GOES17 — from 23,000 miles in space — saw the raging #BushFire burning northeast of #Phoenix last night. (The city’s lights are visible at the end.) #Arizona #AZ #AZwildfire #AZFire #FireSeason2020 pic.twitter.com/nvvIY4Hn4f
— NOAA Satellites – Public Affairs (@NOAASatellitePA) June 16, 2020
Another Time Lapse of the #BushFire northeast of Phoenix, Arizona. Watch the left center side. You can noticeably see it spreading. #AZWX #StormHour #BushFireTontoNF pic.twitter.com/v6BnXkwOis
— Bryan Snider (@BryanSnider) June 15, 2020
The communities of Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Apache Lake and Sunflower have all been evacuated as the #BushFire burns in Maricopa County.
FAST FACTS: https://t.co/NLuuYlDLnm#abc15 pic.twitter.com/MwtR28jELy— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) June 17, 2020
Have evacuated from Tonto Basin due to the #BushFire everything happened so quickly, really breaks my heart to see so much burning. Photos from last night, even worse today #Arizona pic.twitter.com/kjPwWsOPIl
— Valerie Castaneda (@DesertRoseKnots) June 16, 2020
Four Peaks has burned. Sad sight as the #BushFire rolled over the iconic Arizona landmark Tuesday night. (📸 Steve DaCosta) #azfamily #azwx pic.twitter.com/Ywfh2h4W7A
— Ian Schwartz (@SchwartzTV) June 17, 2020
Another wildfire in Arizona called the The Mangum Fire is burning near the Grand Canyon and has ravaged some 20,000 acres in the Kaibab National Forest, according to Fox News.
Image credit: Twitter/IanSchwartz
