Highway near Mesa reopened as firefighters get handle on Cactus Fire
Apr 28, 2017, 2:14 PM | Updated: Apr 30, 2017, 1:08 pm
(Twitter Photo/@MaricopaSheriff)
PHOENIX — A highway near Mesa reopened Friday as crews began to get a handle on the Cactus Fire burning nearby.
REOPENED – Bush Hwy (Cactus Fire Closure) has been REOPENED #phxtraffic
— MCDOT News (@MCDOTNews) April 28, 2017
The Bush Highway was closed between Power and Usery Pass roads on Tuesday after the Cactus Fire was ignited about four miles northeast of Mesa.
As of Sunday morning, the 818-acre fire was 80 percent contained. About 80 people were working the fire.
Fire officials do not believe the blaze will turn and head for homes and other structures in Mesa. Carrie Templin with the Tonto National Forest said they expect the fire to be fully contained by Monday.
Tonto National Forest officials said that power lines or other barriers cover 30 percent of the fire’s perimeter and fire crews have protected recreation sites, utility lines and homes.
A representative said the fire was human-caused and under investigation.
This is not the first high-profile fire in Arizona this week: The Sawmill Fire near southern Arizona had grown to more than 48,000 acres by Friday.