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Firefighters battle blazes north of Fountain Hills

Two incidents started over weekend

Posted

Smoke from nearby wildfires is settling across Fountain Hills Monday morning as two blazes that began over the weekend are burning north of the community.

Sunday afternoon firefighters responded to the Lower Sycamore Creek area near MP 200 along SR 87 (Beeline Highway) for what was named the Adams Fire. By mid-day Monday, that human caused blaze had spread to 3,200 acres of desert grass and brush.

Emergency managers issued an emergency alert for residents of the Goldfield Ranch subdivision north of the Beeline to be in “Set” in the event an evacuation was ordered.

Multiple engines, air attack and a helicopter and two Super Scoopers were battling the blaze with an unknown number of personnel on the scene. The scoopers are taking water from Bartlett Lake.

The fire was 0% contained Monday afternoon.

Just before mid-day on Saturday, fire crews were responding to the Spring Fire that broke out along State Route 87 (Beeline Highway) at Mile Post 210 near Sunflower. The northbound highway was closed for a while, but eventually one lane was reopened to traffic heading north.

According to the Southwest Fire Management Inciweb system, by late Sunday the Spring Fire had spread to just over 4,000 acres. There were 140 firefighters on the scene including five Interagency Hot Shot Crews, seven engines, two helicopters, two very large air tankers, two large air tankers and water tenders.

Late Sunday the fire was 0% contained. High temperatures and low humidity conditions increase safety concerns for firefighters on the line of the spring fire.

The Times Independent invites readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Bob Burns can be reached at bburns@iniusa.org.