The sheriff's office said an individual who had been fired from the Yarnell Fire Department was recently seen urging residents to evacuate their homes.
YAVAPAI COUNTY, Ariz. — A man was recently arrested in Yavapai County after he allegedly impersonated a firefighter and caused panic by telling Capitol residents to evacuate their homes.
The sheriff's office said Thursday that deputies received a call about a man claiming to be a Yarnell firefighter wandering through a neighborhood and falsely telling residents they needed to evacuate their homes because of a burning wildfire.
Doorbell video footage allegedly showed the man telling the resident he was at the “fire station.”
The Hillside Fire has been burning in a rural area north of Congress since Wednesday, with YCSO responsible for issuing evacuation orders.
Yarnell Fire Chief told police the suspected firefighter was fired from the department several months ago.
Police then pursued the man, identified as Patrick Parent, and allegedly found fire equipment in his vehicle. He was taken into custody and could face charges of impersonating a public servant, criminal nuisance and disorderly conduct.
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix metropolitan area, considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
Besides Phoenix, the Valley also includes other major cities such as:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempeh
- Glendale
- surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or the “West Valley” depends on where it is located in relation to Phoenix.
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the Valley region's cities have a combined population of 4,845,832, making it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country, behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
According to the 2020 census, Maricopa County has a population of 4,485,414, making it the fourth most populous county in the United States.
The county is home to approximately 63% of Arizona's population and covers an area of 9,224 square miles, which means the county is larger than seven U.S. states: Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Maricopa County is also home to one of the largest park systems in the country. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks, including hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers, campgrounds, and more.
The county seat is Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the fifth most populous city in the United States according to the census.
The county was named for a Native American tribe called the Maricopa or Piipache.
