Officials say gardening equipment was the cause of the Quail Run Fire, which forced the evacuations of 12 homes near Cordes Lake on Saturday afternoon.
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office blamed a man using a weed whacker for the fire, which spread quickly and destroyed two vacant homes, sheriff's office spokesman Paul Wick said Monday.
While firefighters worked to contain the blaze, the surrounding area was placed under “pre-evacuation orders” with instructions to remain vigilant and prepare to evacuate if the situation escalated to “open” status.
Firefighters had the blaze under control by 5pm on Saturday and returned conditions to “ready” status, Wick said.
The fire spread close to the library but no damage was caused, he added.
More than 50 volunteers from the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office helped deputies coordinate road closures and evacuations, officials said.
Wick said the man who started the fire Saturday, whose name authorities have not released, was doing yard work for a resident who was in Phoenix that day.
Wick said a judge will decide whether the man faces any fines or penalties.
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The Quail Run fire is the latest this month to be started by gardening equipment. Two men were arrested this month in California after allegedly starting separate fires with gardening tools.
One of them was using a riding lawnmower, and that was the trigger. 13 Acre Pocket Fire In Geyserville, another used a weed trimmer. The 16-acre Adams Fire In Lake County.
Arizona Forest Fire Management Bureau People are urged to avoid using chainsaws and welding machines where there is a high risk of fire, and anyone planning to use a lawnmower should check their garden for large rocks first.
“It only takes one blade to strike a rock and send sparks flying,” the fire department said.
