Arizona wildfire escalates, engulfs nearly 1,000 acres - VIDEO

A fast-moving wildfire south of Buckeye, Arizona, expanded to approximately 980 acres by Sunday, as strong winds and dry conditions left the blaze with zero percent containment.

The fire, known as the Hazen Fire, remains active along its northeastern flank more than 24 hours after it was first reported, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, News.Az informs, citing foreign media.

Officials said the fire ignited around 3 p.m. on Saturday near the intersection of Hazen and Rooks roads, roughly one mile east of State Route 85.

Fire crews reported that the flames jumped containment lines and spread an additional 300 acres during periods of high wind gusts reaching up to 30 mph.

Aerial firefighting operations were significantly disrupted by the weather conditions. A helicopter initially conducted water bucket drops, but authorities were forced to ground it as winds intensified. To continue suppression efforts, officials deployed four Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) to target spot fires along the fire’s perimeter. These aircraft used specialized suppressant before switching to water drops as conditions required.

Residents near the Gila River bottom reported that flames moved dangerously close to residential areas, including the Parkside Travel Trailer Park, raising concerns about air quality and safety.

“It looked like it was right on top of us at that point,” said local resident Noah Hill. “My eyes are burning. Ashes are falling from the sky.”

Hill also said the fire temporarily impacted local infrastructure before reaching a canal barrier designed to provide some protection to nearby communities.

“It’s like a war zone almost — it’s scary,” said another resident, Alexis Byrd.

Hill further noted that strong winds made it difficult for fixed-wing aircraft to operate effectively over the fire zone during peak activity.

Buckeye Fire Department officials confirmed that no injuries have been reported and no structures have been destroyed so far. Off-duty firefighter Chad Gilliam said that prior brush-clearing work near a highway bridge helped prevent the fire from reaching critical infrastructure.

“They cleared the fuel, the brush right by the bridge, to protect that infrastructure,” Gilliam said.

Arizona Public Service (APS) temporarily de-energized power lines as a precaution. While electricity has since been restored to most customers, some electrical equipment sustained damage. Ground crews are expected to remain on site through Monday morning to monitor hotspots and reinforce containment lines.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev