Wildcat Fire northeast of metro Phoenix now 36% contained
Firefighters have contained over one-third of the 14,402-acre Wildcat Fire burning northeast of metro Phoenix.
As of Wednesday mid-morning, the fire was 36% contained, according to officials with the Tonto National Forest. The blaze was burning in tall grass and brush in an area east of the Desert Foothills community and west of Bartlett Lake in the Cave Creek Ranger District, fire officials reported. Most of the progress has been on the northern and southern edges of the fire, said Mike Reichling, spokesman for the Tonto National Forest.
The fire, which was first reported Saturday, was likely human-caused, Reichling said. There weren't any weather conditions last weekend that would have sparked a fire, he said.
Strong winds Monday from the southwest fueled the fire's spread, nearly tripling its footprint over a 24-hour period. On Tuesday, wind remained a concern, Reichling said, as more than 300 firefighters from across the state battled the blaze.
Forest officials urge the public to stay away from the area. They have closed Bartlett Lake Road, as well as the lake and its marina. But if the weather holds in the coming days, it's possible access could be restored soon, he said.
"It's all weather dependent," Reichling said.
There have been no evacuations in the area, and there's been no need thus far to trigger the "get set" instruction in the "ready-set-go" strategy that is used to prepare people for how to respond to an emergency.
Authorities urged the public to sign up for the Maricopa County Emergency Notification System to receive prompt alerts about emergency evacuations.
Reichling was unclear on the origin of the fire's name. But the moniker is usually tied to a location near the point of origin, Reichling said. In other instances, the first fire crew to show up on the scene gets naming honors, he added.
Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads, as well as on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @maryjpitzl.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 36% of Wildcat Fire northeast of metro Phoenix now contained
