Latest news with #CedarFire
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cody Fire in Arizona grows, expanding evacuation orders in Pinal County
Update: This article was published May 21. Here's the May 22 news on the Cody Fire. Fire officials expanded evacuation orders in Oracle, in Pinal County, overnight on May 21 as the Cody Fire continued to grow. The Cody Fire was 0% contained as of the morning of May 22, having burned over 1,000 acres. Winds and bone-dry "flash fuels," such as grasses and shrubs, spurred the fire east overnight, where residents of the town of San Manuel were ordered to prepare for evacuation. Fire officials expect "extreme fire behavior" to continue May 22, according to an update from the U.S. Forest Service. "Wind activity is expected to push the fire quickly over the challenging terrain," according to Inciweb. Ground crews and air resources are responding to the fire, some of whom were already in the area to fight the unrelated Cedar Fire, which crews effectively contained just hours before the Cody Fire began. Four classes of aircraft, ranging from helicopters to Very Large Air Tankers, were available to drop water and fire retardant on the blaze on May 22. Meanwhile, ground crews hustled during the day to extinguish hot spots and establish fire lines. Fire crews set up a containment line on Webb Road, which runs between San Manuel and Oracle, to seal off the fire's northern perimeter while crews use bulldozers to establish another containment line on the fire's southern perimeter. Firefighters are also protecting structures or other important sites at risk near the fire's edge. Several structures along the South Cody Loop Road, southeast of Oracle, are within the fire's burn perimeter. Nonetheless, fire officials commonly emphasize that structures within a fire's perimeter may not get burned, especially if structure owners cleared nearby vegetation, creating "defensible space" that firefighters can use to stave off flames. The National Weather Service forecast sunny, hot, breezy weather for the Oracle area over the week following May 22. Winds are expected to be light, though gusts may reach up to 26 mph on May 23. Winds are expected to come out of the southwest through May 22, potentially pushing the fire east of Oracle and into crews' northern containment line. There is no precipitation expected during the seven-day forecast. Officials are ordering residents in Oracle zones 5 and 13-19 to evacuate, with all other zones and San Manuel on "set" evacuation status, meaning residents should be prepared to evacuate at any moment. Officials first issued an evacuation order for parts of Oracle on the afternoon of May 21, expanding that order later in the evening as the fire spread. A temporary evacuation site was set up at the Mammoth Community Center, at 101 W 5th St., in Mammoth, Arizona, the U.S. Forest Service confirmed. American Red Cross Arizona also opened a shelter at Canyon Del Oro High School in Oro Valley. West American and American avenues, main thoroughfares in Oracle, and South Veterans Memorial Boulevard towards San Manual are closed to all non-local traffic. The following trails and forest roads are closed: Oracle Ridge trail #1, part of the Arizona Trail; Cody trail #9; and Forest Service roads 38, 4454, 4458, 639, 859 are closed. The U.S. Forest Service issued its last update on the nearby Cedar Fire on the evening of May 21, with the blaze 90% contained. The fire burned 10 acres south of Oracle. State and federal agencies announced stage 2 fire restrictions in much of southeastern Arizona, including Oracle on May 21, banning campfires outside designated fire pits and outdoor smoking on public lands in those areas, in an email that was sent to The Arizona Republic. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Fast-moving Cody Fire expands for second day
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Fire crews take on blazes across the state overnight including one in Phoenix
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
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Cody wildfire: Check Oracle evacuation map after fire breaks out Pinal County
Oracle officials asked hundreds of residents to evacuate after the Cody Fire broke out in Pinal County on Wednesday. The sheriff's office announced the evacuation order at 4:30 PM local time. Authorities also released an evacuation map, helping residents. The Cody Fire hit the Oracle area within 24 hours of the nearby Cedar Fire, which also prompted evacuation orders. The two fires are unrelated. According to the US Forest Service, the Cedar Fire was 50% contained as of Wednesday. Officials further added that evacuation orders are issued for regions 5 and 16 to 19 of the Oracle evacuation map. The PCSO released an evacuation map via social media and official channels, delineating specific zones in Oracle under varying levels of evacuation status. The map, referenced in alerts from PCSO and corroborated by reports from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, divides Oracle into numbered evacuation zones to guide residents. Zones 5, 16, 17, 18, and 19: Residents in these zones are under a 'GO' order, indicating imminent and life-threatening danger, requiring immediate evacuation. The PCSO's alert said: 'Residents in the Oracle area that are located in evacuation zones 5 and 16-19 are in evacuation status. Please evacuate the area immediately!' Zone 18 was added to the GO status by 4:23 PM. Zones 4 and 15: These zones are under a 'SET' status, meaning residents should prepare for potential evacuation due to significant fire danger. The PCSO advised residents to gather emergency go kits and consider voluntary relocation. San Manuel residents were also placed on SET status, per Pinal County's announcement. READY Status (Be Aware): Other areas of Oracle, not specifically zoned in the GO or SET orders, are under a 'READY' status, urging residents to stay vigilant and monitor updates, per PCSO's guidance. The READY, SET, GO system, detailed on AzEIN, encourages preparing emergency supplies in advance, including three gallons of water per person, a three-day food supply, and medications, per the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines cited by PCSO. Mammoth Community Center: The Town of Mammoth opened its Community Center at 101 W. 5th St., Mammoth, AZ 85618, as a temporary evacuation site for displaced Oracle residents. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has restricted access to residents only at the Highway 77 and Highway 79 junction due to changing weather conditions.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
State fire marshal urges San Diegans to ‘harden homes'
(FOX 5/KUSI) — With summer approaching and temperatures rising, state officials are warning Californians about the increased risk of wildfires — and urging them to take steps now to protect their homes. State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant visited the San Diego area this week to demonstrate home hardening measures to help prevent wildfire destruction. A live fire demonstration showed the stark contrast between a home built to resist wildfires and one without those safeguards. 'It's all part of the California Wildfire Prepared Home Program,' Berlant said. 'We're making sure that those who can't afford to do this work, who can't physically do this work, are able to get this done.' One of the key components of the program is creating 'Zone Zero' — the first five feet around a home. Fire officials recommend replacing mulch and vegetation with gravel, using non-combustible gutters and downspouts, installing flame- and ember-resistant vents, ensuring the roof has a Class A fire rating, and clearing six inches of space at the base of exterior walls. Defensible space remains important, with fire agencies advising at least 30 feet of clearance around homes, but Berlant emphasized that these new measures offer additional protection. 'One of the things we have learned is that if one neighbor does everything right but the next door neighbor does not, they're both still at risk,' he said. The increased severity of recent wildfires has also had major financial consequences. Entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles County were leveled by recent fires, and the destruction has put the insurance industry under pressure. Many homeowners have either lost their insurance coverage or are paying significantly higher premiums. 'We are seeing insurance companies constrict their writing because of these increasing wildfires,' said State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. Lara stressed the importance of proactive mitigation efforts. 'If a home does this mitigation, they're insurable. They keep their insurance — and by the way, their insurance actually goes down, almost by 22 percent in some cases.' Fire victim Diana Griffin knows the risks all too well. Her home in the San Diego County community of Crest was destroyed during the 2003 Cedar Fire. 'We didn't think the fire was going to make it over to our house,' Griffin said. 'Even though you think you're safe, you never know.' Griffin urged homeowners — especially those living near canyons, hills or open space — to take fire danger seriously. 'Embers with the winds can go into your air ducts and onto your plants close to your house and start fires that way,' she said. For homeowners facing insurance issues, Lara encouraged contacting the California Department of Insurance for assistance. 'We're here to help,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
