Ferocious wildfire prompts evacuations, destroys homes in mining town
By
Adriana Navarro, AccuWeather staff writer
Updated May 28, 2021 1:49 PM EST
The Spur Fire prompted evacuations and destroyed multiple structures in Bagdad, Arizona, on May 27. (Twitter/@azstateforestry)
A wildfire sparked on Thursday evening in Bagdad, Arizona, burning multiple structures and promoting evacuations in the area before authorities brought the blaze's advance to a halt.
As the Spur Fire grew in size, reaching 75 acres and then 150, authorities issued 570 evacuation notices to residents of the mining town which sits about 90 minutes west of Prescott, Arizona. Officials reported the fire as having "extremely active fire behavior," as it pushed northward through dry grass and brush.
The power lines in the area were de-energized for safety on Thursday, and phone lines were downed after the fire burned through fiber optic cables.
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office urged residents north of Main Street in Bagdad to evacuate, and a shelter is being set up at Hassayampa Elementary School in Wickenburg. State Routes 96 and 97 going into Bagdad were both closed as of Thursday evening.
Crews were able to stop the forward progress of the Spur Fire at 150 acres, containment at 25% Thursday night.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, but there were conflicting reports as to how many buildings were damaged or destroyed.
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office estimated that 25 to 30 homes "were lost" while the Arizona State Forestry and Fire Management estimated that 13 homes and at least 10 other buildings were "confirmed destroyed," along with the damage to utility infrastructure.
Evacuations remain in place as crews continue to work to restore electricity and water, and the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating the cause of the fire. Initial investigation show that the Spur Fire may have been started by a road construction crew, according to officials.
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It's also possible that the relative humidity values dropping into the single digits along with the winds could have aided the fire, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.
"There were some stronger wind gusts Thursday, and nearby toward Prescott, there were wind gusts of up to 21 mph. These were mainly in the afternoon there," Reppert said. "Also, relative humidity levels were quite low with temperatures climbing into the 70s and 80s."
The next several days are expected to see similar temperatures along with breezy conditions during the afternoon hours.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Weather News
Ferocious wildfire prompts evacuations, destroys homes in mining town
By Adriana Navarro, AccuWeather staff writer
Updated May 28, 2021 1:49 PM EST
The Spur Fire prompted evacuations and destroyed multiple structures in Bagdad, Arizona, on May 27. (Twitter/@azstateforestry)
A wildfire sparked on Thursday evening in Bagdad, Arizona, burning multiple structures and promoting evacuations in the area before authorities brought the blaze's advance to a halt.
As the Spur Fire grew in size, reaching 75 acres and then 150, authorities issued 570 evacuation notices to residents of the mining town which sits about 90 minutes west of Prescott, Arizona. Officials reported the fire as having "extremely active fire behavior," as it pushed northward through dry grass and brush.
The power lines in the area were de-energized for safety on Thursday, and phone lines were downed after the fire burned through fiber optic cables.
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office urged residents north of Main Street in Bagdad to evacuate, and a shelter is being set up at Hassayampa Elementary School in Wickenburg. State Routes 96 and 97 going into Bagdad were both closed as of Thursday evening.
Crews were able to stop the forward progress of the Spur Fire at 150 acres, containment at 25% Thursday night.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, but there were conflicting reports as to how many buildings were damaged or destroyed.
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office estimated that 25 to 30 homes "were lost" while the Arizona State Forestry and Fire Management estimated that 13 homes and at least 10 other buildings were "confirmed destroyed," along with the damage to utility infrastructure.
Evacuations remain in place as crews continue to work to restore electricity and water, and the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating the cause of the fire. Initial investigation show that the Spur Fire may have been started by a road construction crew, according to officials.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
It's also possible that the relative humidity values dropping into the single digits along with the winds could have aided the fire, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.
"There were some stronger wind gusts Thursday, and nearby toward Prescott, there were wind gusts of up to 21 mph. These were mainly in the afternoon there," Reppert said. "Also, relative humidity levels were quite low with temperatures climbing into the 70s and 80s."
The next several days are expected to see similar temperatures along with breezy conditions during the afternoon hours.
Related:
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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