So far, it has consumed 486 square miles of land, making it the second largest wildfire in Arizona history, reported CBS (the largest one occurred in 2002 and burned 732 square miles).
The flames approached the town of Eagar in the afternoon, forcing about half of the town’s 4,000-strong population to evacuate, reported CBS. Springerville, another Arizona town, has order 2,000 residents to prepare for evacuation.
The fire also burned 6 buildings and threatens to burn 65 others, reported azcentral.com.
Authorities believe the fire was started on May 29 by an unattended camp fire. After the fire became out of control, strong winds fanned it. So far, firefighters are having trouble battling the flames and do not have the fire contained.
Azcenral.com reports that there are “900 personnel are combating the flames, with seven helicopters, 31 engines and three bulldozers assisting.”
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A vehicle drives along the U.S. Route 180 as smoke from the Wallow Wildfire fills the sky in Luna, New Mexico June 6, 2011.REUTERS/Joshua LottJerry Kinny sits in his vehicle as he watches smoke from the Wallow Wildfire fill the sky along U.S. Route 180 as in Luna, New Mexico June 6, 2011.REUTERS/Joshua LottRobert Joseph rides his all terrain vehicles along U.S. Route 180 as smoke from the Wallow Wildfire fills the sky in Luna, New Mexico June 6, 2011. Firefighters battling the raging wildfire in eastern Arizona made slight progress in preventing the spread of a blaze that has charred over 200,000 acres of prime forest, officials said on Monday. The fire which started in Arizona last week is now threating Western New Mexico. More than 1,300 firefighters from across the nation are trying to contain the fire to protect several small mountain communities and stop the stubborn wildfire, burning about 250 miles northeast of Phoenix.REUTERSJerry Kinny sits in his vehicle and smokes a cigarette as he watches smoke from the Wallow Wildfire fill the sky along U.S. Route 180 as in Luna, New Mexico June 6, 2011. The wildfire that has charred more than 350 square miles (906 sq km) in eastern Arizona forced the evacuation of a third town on Monday and crept near populated areas along the New Mexico border as it raged out of control for a ninth day. The so-called Wallow Fire, burning about 250 miles (400 km) northeast of Phoenix and stretching to near the Arizona-New Mexico border, ranks as the third-largest fire on record in Arizona.REUTERS
