Firefighters continue to gain containment on Wildcat Fire burning north of Phoenix
May 22, 2024, 1:10 PM | Updated: 1:11 pm
PHOENIX — Firefighters continued to gain containment Wednesday on the Wildcat Fire burning north of Phoenix.
The blaze was 36% contained as of 11 a.m., according to the Tonto National Forest. The fire was 23% contained Tuesday and an update shared earlier Monday had no containment on the fire that has grown to more than 14,000 acres.
Fire managers aren’t expecting much growth or movement on the fire over the next day due to continued favorable weather conditions.
The blaze is burning about 30 miles northeast of Phoenix near Cave Creek.
Timeline of the Wildcat Fire
The fire, which officials say was human-caused, was first reported at Saturday around 9:20 a.m.
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Within a day, the blaze grew to 5,000 acres.
Closure orders in the Cave Creek Ranger District were issued Saturday and expanded Monday as a result of the fire’s growth. Bartlett Dam Road has been closed since 3:30 p.m. Saturday due to the blaze.
About 300 personnel are working the blaze, including eight crews, 16 fire engines, three helicopters and two water tenders.
There were no immediate threats to structures and evacuations were not planned.
The public was asked to stay away from the area until the fire is contained.
