Fire is burning in tall, dense vegetation
(InciWeb)
CROWN KING, Ariz. (AP) — A hot shot crew with additional firefighters and support equipment arrived Sunday to battle a wildfire that’s forced evacuations in small mountain communities about 80 miles (129 kilometers) north of Phoenix.
The U.S. Forest Service said the blaze was showing “extreme fire behavior” and had grown to 14 square miles (36 square kilometers) as of Sunday morning with zero containment so far.
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Authorities said the wildfire fire began Thursday and its cause was under investigation.
It has been burning on juniper, chaparral, timber and 8-foot-high brush in a remote section of Prescott National Forest where firefighters face steep and rugged terrain.
Firefighting efforts are focused on the communities and infrastructure around it.
More than 250 firefighters were working the wildfire before the Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team assumed command of the wildfire Sunday.
On Friday, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office sent evacuation orders for residents of Crown King, Minnehaha and Horsethief Cabins.
Crown King is home to roughly 100 residents.
Authorities said the last known fire in October within the Prescott National Forest was in 2007 and was stopped at 630 acres.
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