Soldiers suppress fires during an air raid on State Route 389 in Arizona on July 6, 2023 | BLM Arizona Strip/Clay Shakespeare, Courtesy of St. George News
ST. George — The fire, which began as a 5-acre wildfire outside Colorado City, Arizona, spread to more than 70 acres on Thursday but has since been 100% extinguished.
The fire was first reported just before noon near Mile Post 9 on Route 389 in Mojave County, about 42 miles northeast of St. George, according to the news agency. WildCAD-Ea computer-aided dispatch system.
The 71-acre fire is reportedly man-made but is still under investigation and threatens at least one structure.
The fires are remote and mostly on private property, Jacqueline Russell, spokeswoman for Color Country with the Bureau of Land Management, told The St. George News.
Wildfires are also burning grass and bushes on land managed by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and BLM’s Arizona Strip field office, according to a news release issued by Color Country Interagency Fire Management.
Multiple fire agencies, including the Hildale Colorado City Fire Department, Apple Valley Fire Department, Hurricane Valley Fire District, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the BLM Fire Brigade worked in partnership with the Arizona Forestry and Fire Service.
According to the statement, they fought the fire with three engines, five brush trucks, three structure trucks, two water wheels, one Type 3 helicopter and two single-engine air tankers (seats).
As of 6:05 p.m., the fire was believed to be 100% extinguished and the area has not been closed at this time. According to the release, fire engines are still monitoring the situation at the scene.
“We’re in pretty good shape,” BLM’s Arizona Strip spokeswoman Rachel Carnahan told The St. George News. “The responsiveness of all firefighters really makes the inter-agency relationship come alive. We are helping each other in a huge way.”
Check out the short video below of some of the firefighting efforts, courtesy of the BLM Arizona Strip and Clay Shakespeare.
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