Arizona wildfire forces more than 1,000 to evacuate from Scottsdale area
The Diamond Fire was first reported Tuesday afternoon and has burned through more than 2,500 acres of dry grass.
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In this image released by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, smoke rises from a brush fire in the Scottsdale area of Arizona, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management via AP)
(UPI) -- More than 1,000 people have been evacuated as fire crews work to contain a large wildfire near Scottsdale, Ariz., authorities said on Wednesday.
Tiffany Davila of the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said that crews had been successful at containing the brush fire, but evacuation orders remained in place.
"Crews were very successful overnight. A hotshot crew along with two state hand crews were able to get around the entire fire. So they have line in, and they're working right now just to make sure that line is secure," Davila said.
In this aerial image released by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, smoke rises from a brush fire in the Scottsdale area of Arizona, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management via AP)
Members of a fire crew post closed signs near hiking trails as the Diamond Fire has burned over 2,500 acres causing mandatory evacuations Wednesday, June 28, 2023, in Scottsdale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The incident, nicknamed the Diamond Fire, was first reported at about 5 p.m. Tuesday and has burned through more than 2,500 acres of dry grass. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Crews have put a containment line around the fire, but they still do not consider it contained, Davila said.
"There are red flag warnings. ... So we just want to remind folks that even though they don't see smoke now, as we start to warm up, as we start to get in that critical fire weather timeframe, we could likely start to see that fire activity increase with flames visible and smoke," she said.
The Arizona State Forestry said on Twitter that there was still the possibility for additional growth.
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