QUEEN CREEK, Arizona — The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management has positioned task forces, engines and patrol crews across the state for rapid response to new wildfires ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Queen Creek, spanning the Maricopa-Pinal county line in the southeast Phoenix metro area, has grown to roughly 70,000 residents. The agency said strategically staged crews are helping firefighters respond quickly when new fires are reported, and that the approach has already prevented at least two blazes from growing larger.
On Thursday, firefighters stopped a fire along Interstate 17 that was sparked by a vehicle, holding it to less than one acre. In a separate incident, a staged task force arrived within about 20 minutes at a human-caused fire in north Phoenix and contained the flames at two acres, according to DFFM. No homes were damaged in either case.
Two task forces, each consisting of five engines and one water tender, have been staged around the Phoenix area for rapid initial attack. Additional crews are positioned in or near Chino Valley, Kingman, Phoenix and Tucson. Fire prevention patrols are also being conducted statewide.
The Pocket Fire near Sedona, the largest active wildfire in the state, had grown to more than 23,000 acres with 25 percent containment as of Friday. State Route 89A remains closed to non-residents between Sedona and Kachina Village. The Coconino National Forest has also closed roads and trails in the fire area.
