United states

Tunnel Fire: A fast-moving Arizona wildfire destroys dozens of structures and forces hundreds to evacuate

The fire in the tunnel in Coconino County in northern Arizona burned more than 16,600 acres on Wednesday morning, according to InciWeb, a US clearing house for forest fire information. It was first announced on Sunday afternoon.

“I can’t stress enough how fast this fire is moving,” fire officer Tru Brown said on Tuesday.

Approximately 2,068 people live in the evacuation zone, said Patrice Horstman, chairman of the Coconino County Supervisory Board. “766 households have been evacuated from this,” along with more than 1,000 animals, Horstman said.

Local electricity and gas distribution networks, various historical and cultural sites, and 150 businesses are at risk from the fire, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a press release on Tuesday.

The fire also closed part of US Highway 89 in both directions north of Flagstaff, officials said. Bill Wales returned to his home after the fire passed, but saw other homes thrown into ruins, he told CNN’s KPNX affiliate this week.

“After I went up there, I saw that everything was gone. All the houses I saw that were there earlier, 45 minutes earlier, except one, were all burned to the ground,” he told KPNX.

Another resident, Cindy Wilson, left home when the smoke approached and did not know if she would stay when she returned, she said.

“I cried while driving because you just don’t know. You don’t know if you’re going home for something, “she told KPNX.

“Waiting is the worst,” she told KPNX. “I sit and watch, and watch, and watch, and scroll through Facebook and listen to the shows I have access to.”

Officials urged people to leave their homes

Lawmakers and other law enforcement officials are evacuating people from their homes, Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll told a news conference on Tuesday.

“The fire was moving so fast; many of these officers themselves were in danger. And I am very proud of the fact that we managed to carry out this evacuation despite the rapid development of the fire, “said Driscoll.

The causes of the fire are being clarified, InciWeb reports. The Red Cross set up an evacuation center at Sinagua High School in Flagstaff, and officials ordered the evacuees to leave animals and livestock elsewhere. County officials have declared a local state of emergency over the fire, Horstman said, urging people to be informed of the fire’s development on the county’s website.

“The tunnel fire was caused by strong winds and dry conditions, and the county has deployed all available resources,” Horstman told a news conference.

About 200 crew members battled the fast-moving flames, and the county requested state and federal resources to help fight the blaze, officials said Tuesday.

FEMA has approved a request for federal funding that will cover up to 75% of eligible firefighting costs, according to a press release.

Horstman acknowledged the difficulty of the situation and assured residents that the county would remain behind.

“This is a time, as we have done in the past, for neighbors to help neighbors,” Horstman said. “The county will be here to support everyone in this very difficult time, but together, as we have done before, we must be here as one to get through this.”