WILDFIRES

New Northern Arizona wildfire prompts evacuation advisory

The Republic | azcentral.com

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office issued a pre-evacuation notice Wednesday for residents near a 100-acre wildfire that erupted northeast of State Route 87 and Lake Mary Road and State Route 87, officials said.

The Tank Fire likely was caused by lightning, officials said. It was burning near Happy Jack along the Mogollon Rim less than 2 miles northeast of where the roads intersect, the Sheriff's Office and Coconino National Forest officials said.

The fire was one of seven fires reported between Baker Butte and Clints Well, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office said on its Facebook page.

The Sheriff’s Office issued the pre-evacuation notice to Clear Creek units one and two near the fire. The notice means residents should be prepared to immediately leave if an order is given.

The Tank Fire was burning not far from where the Tinder Fire erupted in the forest to the northeast more than a month ago, forcing evacuations and burning dozens of structures, forcing the closure of SR 87 for several days north of Clint's Well.

Resources on the scene Wednesday at the Tank Fire include three engines, two crews and two helicopters, with an air tanker and lead aircraft ordered to help, officials said.

Of the other six wildfires, one has been contained and firefighters are responding to the others, the Sheriff's Office Facebook page said.

Besides the Coconino County Fires, the Arizona Department of Transportation tweeted that four more brush fires were burning across Arizona, with some disrupting roads, including state Route 89A near Cottonwood, which briefly was closed Wednesday afternoon but later reopened. A vehicle fire sparked that blaze, officials said.

Brush fires also were burning near Interstate 40 near Flagstaff, near Interstate 10 west of Phoenix and on Interstate 10 east of Tucson. None were resulting in full highway closures.

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