Officials hope to reach full containment by June 20
(InciWeb)
SUPERIOR, Ariz. (AP) — A flare-up with an ongoing wildfire in south-central Arizona is leading to the evacuation of two rural communities.
The Gila County Sheriff’s Office on Monday urged the community of El Capitan, which stretches on both sides of State Route 77, to evacuate. The community of Dripping Springs has also been affected.
An estimated 60 households between both places have been evacuated, said Carl Melford, Gila County emergency manager.
The American Red Cross has shelters at High Desert Middle School in Globe and at Skyline High School in Mesa.
Fire officials say fire lines are holding around a majority of the so-called Telegraph Fire, which is at 74% containment. The blaze, which was human-caused, was first reported June 4 less than 2 miles (3 kilometers) southeast of Superior. It has burned more than 137.5 square miles (97 square kilometers) and destroyed 22 structures.
Fire officials had initially estimated reaching full containment by June 20.
InciWeb: Telegraph Fire Updates
Meanwhile, evacuation orders lasted less than a day for a fire burning a few miles east of Cornville in northern Arizona. An estimated 600 people were initially told to evacuate but the order was lifted by Sunday night, said Tiffany Davila, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. The fire, which was first reported earlier in the day, led to an evacuation area from east of Page Springs Road between Windmill Lane and the Oak Creek Vineyards, officials said.
The fire has grown to nearly 2 square miles (5 square kilometers) and has not yet been fully contained.
The Sedona Fire District is assisting even though there are currently no evacuation concerns for Sedona residents.
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