More than 200 firefighters are battling a wildfire northeast of Phoenix, Arizona, that is threatening multiple homes and forcing dozens of residents to evacuate.
The wildfire swarmed across about six square miles on the edge of the Boulder Heights neighborhood, but caused no damage to properties, officials said.
On Saturday, 275 people were battling the fire, with temperatures reaching above 38°C (100°F) before noon and gusty winds expected in the afternoon.
“The weather is unseasonably humid and hot,” fire officials said.
“There's no wind right now, but some gusts were expected.”
An aerial tanker and helicopter assisted in battling the Boulder View Fire from the air. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
An aerial view of the fire (Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, via Associated Press)
It began about five miles east of Carefree, just outside north Scottsdale, on the edge of Tonto National Forest.
The Red Cross set up a shelter at a Scottsdale high school, and shelters for horses and other large animals were set up in several locations, including at the nearby Cave Creek rodeo grounds.
In Central California, rising temperatures and decreasing relative humidity this weekend could worsen wildfire conditions in the Fresno June Lightning Complex.
The complex of three large and several smaller fires in eastern Fresno County covers an area of ​​about 17 square miles and was estimated to be 42 percent contained by Saturday morning. One structure was confirmed to have burned and evacuation orders remain in place.
To the north, the Apache Fire in Butte County has destroyed 14 buildings and damaged two since Monday. The blaze has grown to a square mile and was 95% contained by Saturday morning.
