Fire crews take on blazes across the state overnight including one in Phoenix

Yahoo

22-05-2025

Firefighters have gained control over three brush fires that cropped up throughout the state on the night of May 20, ranging from rural grass fires in southeastern Arizona to a brush fire in the heart of Phoenix.
This came after the Greer Fire in eastern Arizona reached 88% containment. The blaze began May 13 and burned over 20,00 acres.
Residents in the unincorporated community and surrounding areas were allowed to return to their homes after the fire was 55% contained.
Meanwhile, fire danger was still possible throughout the state. The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management along with the Bureau of Land Management, announced new stage 2 fire restrictions within central and western Arizona May 21. Stage 2 restrictions were already in place in northeastern and southern/southeastern Arizona, the forestry department said.
Here's what happened with the three fires that sparked up overnight around the state.
Residents near Oracle were under a 'set' evacuation status until firefighters gained control over the nearby Cedar Fire, which burned a little over 10 acres of the Coronado National Forest, according to a Facebook post from the U.S. Forest Service.
Emergency response officials downgraded the evacuation status to "ready" early in the afternoon on May 20 for some areas. "Set" remained in effect the morning of May 21 for zones 14, 15, 16 and 17, the forest service said. 'Set' status meant that residents should be prepared to evacuate at short notice.
The Pinal County Sheriff's Office announced that the town of Oracle was under 'significant fire danger' during the evening of May 20 as the evacuation status went into effect. Fire crews suppressed the Cedar Fire throughout the night, declaring that the flames had stopped expanding by late evening. The fire was officially 5% contained as of 6:40 a.m. May 21, though the U.S. Forest Service said the fire was 'surrounded by containment lines,' and crews had begun mopping up the fire's perimeter.
Twelve engines, two helicopters and two large air tankers responded to the Cedar Fire, including a task force from Utah, according to a post on X by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
Firefighters had to adjust operations during the evening after an unauthorized drone was spotted flying above the fire, the U.S Forest Service said. Emergency authorities have emphasized that flying over active wildfires is illegal, possibly leading to fines of up to $25,000.
The cause of the Cedar Fire was under investigation.
Fire crews have also stopped the expansion of the Maverick Fire, northeast of Willcox.
The fire kicked up during the afternoon of May 20, burning through desert grasses and brush in an area called Cowboy Canyon, the Arizona Forestry Department said. Large air tankers and engines responded to the blaze, which grew to 20 acres before forward progress was stopped the afternoon of May 21.
Smoke was still emerging from the fire's footprint during the morning, and three engines remained to keep the flames from popping up again, the state forest department confirmed.
The Phoenix Fire Department responded to a brush fire that sparked in the Salt River bottom near the intersection of Seventh Street and University Drive the evening of May 20, according to an email from the department. Phoenix Fire had yet to release another update on the fire, as of May 21.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brush fire in Phoenix and two other fires pop up overnight across AZ