Interstate 17 southbound reopens after brush fire forced closure
Jun 29, 2020, 5:26 PM | Updated: 9:52 pm
(Twitter Photo/ADOT)
PHOENIX — Around 9:30 p.m., the Arizona Department of Transportation announced that the Interstate 17 at State Route 69 had reopened, but a right lane closure was still in effect between mileposts 259 and 263 due to a brush fire.
The Cordes Fire, about 65 miles north of downtown Phoenix, closed the highway at around 4:45 p.m.
The northbound lanes of I-17 weren’t affected by the fire.
As of Monday night, the Cordes Fire had burned between 75 and 100 acres and was actively burning, according to Bureau of Land Management Arizona Fire.
To support those impacted by the fire, Red Cross Arizona opened an emergency evacuation center at the Mayer High School on 17300 E. Mule Deer Drive.
I-17, MP 262 (near Cordes Lakes, south of SR 69): A brush fire has closed the SB lanes. No estimated time to reopen.
(Video: Passenger "Yolanda")#I17 #AZFire pic.twitter.com/X61cbL8yis
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) June 29, 2020
Around 9:30 p.m., Red Cross Arizona said those forced to evacuate due to the fire had been permitted to return home and the evacuation center would close within the hour.
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