Most evacuations for Crooks Fire lifted as containment reaches 75%

PHOENIX – Most of the evacuation orders related to the Crooks Fire near Prescott were lifted Monday after containment efforts withstood strong winds over the weekend, authorities said.

Residents of the Mount Tritle and Breezy Pines areas were cleared by the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office to return by noon, while South Walker, Potato Patch and Mountain Pine evacuees are permitted to head home after 3 p.m.

Only Lookout Mountain remained in the “GO” status of the emergency response system.

The Crooks Fire started Aug. 18 about 11 miles south of Prescott in the Mount Union area of Prescott National Forest.

It didn’t change in size between the Sunday morning and Monday morning incident command updates, holding at 9,402 acres.

And despite wind gusts up to 44 mph on Sunday, containment grew from 38% to 75% over the course of the day, fire officials said.

Meanwhile, northern Arizona’s other active wildfire was almost fully contained.

The Tunnel Fire, which started about 14 miles northeast of Flagstaff in the Coconino National Forest on April 17, was at 95% containment as of Monday morning.

It’s still not known how either of the fires started.

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