ARIZONA NEWS

Last remaining Backbone Fire road closure lifted as containment grows

Jun 29, 2021, 12:36 PM | Updated: 9:38 pm

(InciWeb Photo)...

(InciWeb Photo)

(InciWeb Photo)

Click here to find the most recent coverage of Arizona’s wildfires from KTAR News.

PHOENIX — The last remaining highway closure related to the Backbone Fire near Strawberry was lifted Tuesday as crews continued to gain control of the situation, authorities said.

State Route 260 is now open between Camp Verde and State Route 87, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Growth of the lightning-caused Backbone Fire, which started about 12 miles west of Pine and Strawberry on June 16, has been minimal in recent days. The footprint remained at 40,855 acres, with containment increasing from 64% to 76% as of Tuesday evening, according to InciWeb.

Just over 315 personnel were still working on clean-up and containment activities.

Evacuation orders for residents of Strawberry and Pine were lifted over the weekend.

With dry conditions continuing to create a high risk for wildfires, closures also have been enacted at most of the state’s national forests.

We want to hear from you.

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

(Facebook Photo/Backbone Fire Information) (Facebook Photo/Backbone Fire Information) (InciWeb Photo) (Facebook Photo/Backbone Fire Information) (Twitter Photo/ADOT) (Twitter Photo/ADOT) (Twitter Photo/ADOT) (InciWeb Photo) (Facebook Photo/Backbone Fire Information) (InciWeb Photo) (KTAR News Photo/Dan Beach) (KTAR News Photo/Dan Beach) (KTAR News Photo/Dan Beach)

Arizona News

A mother and her young child were among those injured after they were struck by a vehicle that roll...

KTAR.com

Mother, young child injured after being struck by vehicle that rolled over in Phoenix

A mother and her young child were among those injured after they were struck by a vehicle that rolled over during a crash in Phoenix.

4 hours ago

Rendering of Park 91, an industrial park under construction at 91st Avenue and Buckeye Road in Phoe...

Kevin Stone

Construction underway on a 20-acre industrial park in Phoenix called Park 91

Construction is underway on a 20-acre industrial park in southwest Phoenix called Park 91, developers announced Thursday.

6 hours ago

File photo showing a U.S. Border Patrol logo. Adbiel Martinez-Barrera, 21, received a sentence of 1...

KTAR.com

Man sentenced to 13 months for entering US illegally, assaulting border agent in Arizona

A Mexican national was sentenced to over a year in federal prison for entering the United States illegally and assaulting a Border Patrol agent in Arizona.

7 hours ago

Photos show the scene of a hot-air balloon mishap near 22nd Avenue and Deer Valley Road in Phoenix,...

KTAR.com

Hot-air balloon mishap in north Phoenix damages light pole, but nobody hurt

Nobody was injured in a hot-air balloon mishap in north Phoenix on Thursday morning, but a light pole was damaged, authorities said.

8 hours ago

...

KTAR Video

Video: What comes next as more details emerge about UNLV shooting suspect?

Professor of Global Security & Intelligence at Embry-Riddle, Steve Hooper, joined The Mike Broomhead Show via phone to discuss the latest details to emerge regarding the University of Nevada, Las Vegas shooting. Video: Jeremy Schnell and Felisa Cárdenas/KTAR News Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

9 hours ago

Follow @KTAR923...

Sponsored Content by Collins Comfort

Avoid a potential emergency and get your home’s heating and furnace safety checked

With the weather getting colder throughout the Valley, the best time to make sure your heating is all up to date is now. 

Sponsored Articles

Follow @iamdamonallred...

Avoid a potential emergency and get your home’s heating and furnace safety checked

With the weather getting colder throughout the Valley, the best time to make sure your heating is all up to date is now. 

Follow @KTAR923...

The best ways to honor our heroes on Veterans Day and give back to the community

Veterans Day is fast approaching and there's no better way to support our veterans than to donate to the Military Assistance Mission.

...

Dierdre Woodruff

Interest rates may have peaked. Should you buy a CD, high-yield savings account, or a fixed annuity?

Interest rates are the highest they’ve been in decades, and it looks like the Fed has paused hikes. This may be the best time to lock in rates for long-term, low-risk financial products like fixed annuities.

Last remaining Backbone Fire road closure lifted as containment grows