'Relatively abnormal' Brady Fire burns 400 acres in Prescott, forces evacuations
A 400-acre fire blazed in the Prescott National Forest, forcing nearby residents in Pine Flats to evacuate.
The Brady Fire west of Mayer, Arizona, was at 0% containment Tuesday morning, officials said in a Facebook post. Little growth was reported overnight as cooler temperatures moderated fire behavior, officials said.
Smoke was visible in the surrounding communities including Prescott, Chino Valley, Prescott Valley and Crown King.
Officials responded to the fire near Pine Flats off Forest Road 67 around 3 p.m. Monday, and by 5:30 p.m., the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office ordered an evacuation of Pine Flats. The Sheriff's Office also closed County Road 177 into Pine Flat.
Five crews, 15 engines and one bulldozer were deployed to fight the fire. Officials from the Prescott National Forest and the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, as well as the Prescott Hot Shots, were on the scene.
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The fire swallowed brush and chaparral, a type of shrub, authorities said in the Facebook post.
Ansgar Mitchell, a public information officer with the Forest Service, said that having a fire this early in the year is "relatively abnormal."
"(The dryness) is one of the factors," Mitchell said.
But other factors, such as the wind, have fueled the fire. Mitchell also mentioned the fire was in a rural, mountainous area.
Officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation, but it was not due to a prescribed burn.
An approaching storm is expected to deliver gusty southwest winds over the next few days. The storm will bring an increased chance of moisture with possible snow showers on Wednesday, according to officials.
The National Weather Service in Flagstaff predicted that scattered snow could fall on Wednesday and Thursday, with the highest chance of snow on Friday, as a low-pressure system moves across Arizona.
For current evacuation information please call the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office at 928-771-3260; for assistance in evacuation call 911.
For more about the Brady Fire information, please call Ansgar Mitchell, at 928-713-6349.
Mitchell recommended residents in the area sign up for Alert Yavapai to receive up-to-date information regarding future wildfires or emergency situations.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brady Fire burns in Prescott National Forest, forces evacuations
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