ARIZONA NEWS

Bush Fire containment grows as size remains near 187,000 acres

Jun 24, 2020, 3:25 PM | Updated: 4:25 pm

(Inciweb Photo)...

(Inciweb Photo)

(Inciweb Photo)

PHOENIX — The fifth-largest fire in Arizona’s history was 73% contained as of Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.

Acreage consumed by the blaze had remained the same since Monday evening when containment was reported at 61%.

Some evacuations were lifted and roads opened Tuesday as containment continued to grow for the Bush Fire burning outside metro Phoenix.

Residents who were evacuated in the Sunflower and Apache Lake communities were allowed to return home at noon Tuesday, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

Sunflower residents will remain in the “set” mode for evacuation until further notice.

Also, State Route 87 between Payson and metro Phoenix has reopened in both directions, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

State Route 88 from Roosevelt Lake to Apache Lake and State Route 188 have also reopened, ADOT said.

On Friday, the Bush Fire took over the No. 5 spot from the Woodbury Fire, which whipped through nearly 124,00 acres in the Superstition Mountains a year ago. That fire, which started June 8, 2019, was not fully contained until mid-July.

The Horseshoe Two Fire, which burned through 222,954 acres in Cochise County in 2011, is No. 4 on the list.

The human-caused Bush blaze was sparked June 13 by a vehicle fire.

There are currently 522 personnel working to contain the fire, according to Southwest Area Incident Management Team #1.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Donald Trump Kamala Harris...

KTAR.com

Weekend Wrap: Here are the biggest Phoenix news stories from Nov. 1-3

From new Arizona polling for the Nov. 5 general election to the relocation of a mama bear and her cubs, here are some of the Valley’s top news stories from Nov. 1-3.

3 hours ago

Valley rainfall...

Aaron Schmidt

Valley gets fair share of rain, hail in stormy Sunday afternoon

The Valley got its fair share of rainy weather on Sunday, with some parts of the Valley even getting hail. The Valley should experience continued light showers until 8 p.m.

4 hours ago

Phoenix Police...

Aaron Schmidt

Phoenix man dead after late-night fatal collision

Phoenix Police responded to a call Saturday night about a collision that left one man dead in Phoenix, authorities said.

6 hours ago

Man chopping barbecue meats in downtown Mesa...

Payne Moses

Second annual Downtown Mesa BBQ Classic set for Nov. 8-9

Pitmasters and smoky meat connoisseurs will join forces this weekend in the East Valley, as the Downtown Mesa BBQ Classic will take over for the second year running.

8 hours ago

Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris...

Payne Moses

Harris-Walz campaign hosting Phoenix rally on eve of Election Day

The Harris-Walz campaign will be in Phoenix on the eve of the 2024 presidential, as part of its nationwide Get Out The Vote initiative.

9 hours ago

Aerial shot of property formerly Half Moon Windy City Sports Grill...

Payne Moses

Law firm transforming longtime Phoenix bar into new office space

Half Moon Windy City Sports Grill closed in February after 18 years of serving the Valley and will be repurposed into an office space for land use law firm, Withey Morris Baugh.

11 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Act Now: Secure Your HVAC Equipment Before Prices Rise in 2025!

Phoenix, AZ – As the year draws to a close, Collins Comfort Masters is urging homeowners and businesses to take advantage of current pricing on HVAC equipment.

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Collins Comfort Masters: Leading the Way in HVAC and Plumbing Services in Arizona

Tempe, AZ – Since its inception in 1985, Collins Comfort Masters has been a cornerstone in the HVAC and plumbing industry in Phoenix and the surrounding Valley.

...

Bright Wealth Management

Here’s how to save money on retirement planning

PHOENIX -- With inflation still going on, people planning on retiring still face many issues on when they can retire and how much money they need to achieve it.

Bush Fire containment grows as size remains near 187,000 acres