Nearly 50 Wildfires Burning Since Holiday Weekend Started

By Holliday Moore
Published: Tuesday, July 9, 2019 - 10:54am

Woodbury Fire
inciweb.nwcg.gov
Woodbury Fire near Superior, Arizona.

Fire crews are working around the state trying to contain dozens of fires sparked over the holiday weekend.

Tiffany Davila with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management says 46 fires have burned more than six miles of land, mostly where desert vegetation has grown more than normal.

"The low-lying grasses, now they're dried out," she said. "We haven't had any moisture, that fuel is now kindling and any spark is starting a fast moving grass fire."

Fire crews have contained the Smokehouse Fire and are closing in on the Wittmann Fire. Both were burning in desert areas north and northeast of Phoenix.

Winds ahead of the first monsoon storms expected later this week will likely frustrate efforts on larger wildfires burning since last month.

The Woodbury Fire is the largest in the state right now. It's currently 90% contained after burning nearly 200 square miles east of Phoenix.

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