Activity slows on Sawtooth Fire east of Phoenix, containment at 81%
Jun 7, 2020, 9:45 AM | Updated: 8:43 pm
(Twitter Photo/Tonto National Forest)
(Twitter Photo/Tonto National Forest)
PHOENIX — The Sawtooth Fire outside of Phoenix was 81% contained on Sunday night, authorities said. .
The area burned remains at 24,729 acres, according to InciWeb, the same total from the Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning updates.
Sunday morning, the blaze had been 64% contained.
The lightning-caused blaze, which started May 30, is burning in the Superstition Mountains area northeast of Gold Canyon in Pinal County.
Minimal fire activity occurred on Friday and containment of the fire grew 15%, according to the report, as crews made progress on securing the fire perimeter.
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The blaze was only 8% contained earlier on Thursday, fire officials said.
Nearly 400 personnel are working the fire in very tall grasses in rugged country, Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team spokesman Brad Pitassi told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
“Grasses in some instances are up to 5 feet tall,” Pitassi said.
There are currently no evacuations in effect.
Evacuation orders were issued for some homes in Queen Valley on Tuesday, when the burning acreage reached about 21,000 in the Tonto National Forest.
Residents were told to prepare themselves to be away for at least three days, but the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office lifted the order Thursday morning.
The communities of Elephant Butte, Hardt Tank and Angel Basin were evacuated Monday morning.
The Peralta Trailhead in the Tonto National Forest and surrounding area remain closed and stage two fire restrictions are in place.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.
