BUCKEYE, AZ (AZFamily) — Winds picked up Sunday evening, raising concerns for crews working to contain the Hazen Fire burning south of Buckeye.
The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said the fire has burned about 980 acres and remains 0% contained. Firefighters were preparing for another night shift as the fire stayed active on the northeast flank.
The Hazen Fire was first reported around 3 p.m. Saturday near Hazen and Rooks roads, about a mile east of State Route 85 and just south of MC 85, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM). The fire is now estimated at 980 acres.
Officials said residents in the area will likely see smoke and visible flames overnight, but they urged people not to panic. No evacuations or pre-evacuations were in place Sunday night, and no school closures were announced.
The smoke plume could be seen for miles Sunday, leaving a hazy cloud across much of the West Valley. Officials urged residents to monitor air quality conditions through the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
The fire has been burning for more than 24 hours. While activity eased somewhat overnight, officials said it reignited and jumped fire lines, burning an additional 300-plus acres. Wind gusts reached about 30 mph, pushing the fire to the northeast and leaving nearby residents worried.
Cellphone video showed flames racing through the Gila River bottom just feet from the Parkside Travel Trailer Park in Buckeye.
“It looked like it was right on top of us at that point,” Noah Hill said. “My eyes are burning. Ashes are falling from the sky.”
“It’s like a war zone almost — it’s scary,” Alexis Byrd said.
Hill said the fire knocked down power lines and burned through the river bottom up to a canal.
Buckeye Fire Department crews were first on scene, with the state Department of Forestry and Fire Management later taking command. Air support has been challenging because of the wind, Hill said.
“The wind is crazy for planes to be flying,” he said.
Officials said a helicopter began the day making bucket drops but was later grounded due to wind conditions. The department later brought in single-engine air tankers to drop retardant and water to knock down spot fires along the perimeter.
For some residents living nearby, the fast-moving flames prompted quick preparations.
“I packed my guns. I packed everything I could — cash, medicine,” Hill said.
Hill said he planned to stay and remained hopeful crews could keep the fire from spreading into homes, noting there are farm fields and green vegetation between some properties.
A Buckeye firefighter said crews had previously cleared brush along the highway and around nearby property to reduce the risk of the fire spreading quickly.
Previous fuel clearing helps protect infrastructure
Chad Gilliam, an off-duty Buckeye firefighter, happened to have the day off and joined other neighbors as they watched the brush burn Saturday.
Gilliam said just years ago, a swath of brush along the highway was cleared in preparation for this exact scenario.
“They cleared the fuel, the brush right by the bridge, to protect that infrastructure,” Gilliam said.
“What we did notice is, that did help out a lot today,” Balak said.
That work is now protecting homes on the other side.
“As long as it doesn’t pass the bridge, the houses over here and other stuff should be good,” said Rigdon Hunter, who lives nearby.
Neighbors like Hunter are thankful.
“It would destroy a lot of houses if it got out this way,” Hunter said.
APS de-energized power lines in the area for safety, but according to the APS outage map, electricity has been restored to a handful of customers. Firefighters said the fire damaged some electrical equipment, too.
While no evacuations have been ordered, people in the area were told to stay in their homes, firefighters said.
The call was upgraded to a second alarm, meaning more crews, trucks and resources were brought to the scene.
Buckeye Fire officials said there are no injuries or structures damaged.
It was unclear what sparked the flames.
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