The wildfire in Tonto National Forest has covered nearly 90,000 acres and containment appears to be difficult. It is raging just northeast of Phoenix and destroying desert and forestland. The authorities have had to resort to evacuations. The source of the fire was a car fire and fanned by winds, it has spread through the desert and pine forests. In the words of an official of the firefighting team - "It's kind of like a chimney, the way the wind goes up the canyons. Between the terrain and the wind, it's been a really challenging fire." The current blaze is the seventh largest in the history of Arizona while the largest was the Wallow Fire in 2011.

This is as per records of the National Weather Service.

NBC News says there are no reports of any injuries. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office advised residents to take whatever they felt necessary and leave. There were 1,576 people in the evacuation area, and details are not immediately available on the number of people who have moved out. There are evacuation centers of the American Red Cross and volunteers are carrying out health screenings and providing masks to ensure safety from the coronavirus outbreak.

The pandemic has led to around 1200 deaths in the state with nearly 40,000 infections. This continues to increase. Hence, the volunteers are aware of the need to exercise caution.

The wildfire in Arizona is man made

According to Fox News, the wildfire currently raging in Phoenix, Arizona is spreading and forcing people to evacuate from danger zones.

Its percentage of containment is negligible and it has doubled in size since it started June 13. Officials have labeled it as a "human-caused vehicle fire." An officer has revealed to a section of the media that - "This fire is burning very heavy. It's running through dense fuels in the area, some of the reasons behind the smoke that we're seeing." There are 43 active large blazes across the country and this is the largest.

In the opinion of fire officials, a combination of high winds and heavy, continuous, dry grass and brush is aggravating the situation.

NASA is monitoring the wildfire

The wildfire is under the lens of NASA’s satellite and it reveals the extent of damages caused by the fire. There are some red lines visible. These lines stretch across the mountains and are telltale signs of fire retardants airdropped to prevent the flames from spreading and damaging human settlements. Fox News also mentions about a short animation that shows the progress of the fire at night.

Scientists from the University of Wisconsin prepared it using available imagery from the satellite. Incidentally, the NOAA satellite is helping identify locations of the larger wildfires burning across the state. It includes the Bush Fire. Hundreds of firefighters are at work to contain this fire using every available method at their disposal, including aerial methods. Their focus is also on protecting structures in the regions of fire. These include private property, communication sites, powerlines and nearby state highways.

Wildfire devastates the environment

Wildfire has become a part of our lives. These are usually results of climatic disturbances like drought coupled with high-speed winds.

Any such fire destroys the green cover that shelters the wildlife. They and even humans lose their habitats and rebuilding is a long process. Infrastructure is also damaged and has to be restored. If it involves power lines, people might have to rely on Renewable Energy. In July 2017, Canada was in the grip of a wildfire that forced 39,000 people to evacuate their homes. In November 2018, California witnessed a wildfire that destroyed the community of Paradise and people had to evacuate. however, the current fire in Arizona has a human element and is described as a car-fire.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED