Aquila Fire Extinguished In North Phoenix; Under Investigation

PHOENIX, AZ — As the Bush Fire northeast of Phoenix continues to burn, a new blaze in Aquila consumed multiple structures Tuesday and triggered evacuation orders. Firefighters halted the fire's "forward progress" later that night, according to updates from the Department of Forestry and Fire Management.

By Wednesday, the Daisy Mountain Fire Department announced that although fire crews had been able to extinguish the blaze, "Those evacuated are not allowed to return until fire and utility personnel are able to assess the burned area, ensuring it is safe for residents to return."

In an update, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said it would alert evacuated residents by Wednesday afternoon on a timeframe for returning to their homes and lifting of road closures.

The one-day fire covered 853 acres and destroyed multiple structures before it was stopped northeast of Interstate 17 and Carefree Highway, fire officials said. Evacuation orders were issued Tuesday for the area bounded by Interstate 17 to 19th Avenue between Cloud Road and Desert Hills Drive. The order affected more than than 200 homes.

Meanwhile, according to the latest tracking by fire officials, the Bush Fire northeast of Phoenix — currently the largest active wildfire in America — has grown to 186,976 acres and is 76 percent contained.