INTERNATIONAL: Smoke could be seen rising from a wildfire near Flagstaff, Arizona, on Monday 13th June that has forced hundreds of evacuations in the area. Also in the Southern California Mountain community’s residents in the path of a wildfire have been issued evacuation orders.
A time-lapse video showed smoke billowing from a wildfire near Flagstaff, Arizona on Monday 13th June that has forced hundreds of evacuations in the area, according to local media reports.
The Pipeline Fire was initially reported on Sunday 12th June morning, and has grown to 4,500 acres, according to InciWeb, which distributes wildfire information. Two additional wildfires -- the Haywire Fire and Double Fire -- were reported about 6 miles (10 km) further ahead, according to the Arizona Emergency Information Network.
Hot summer weather and adverse winds are stoking the blaze that fire managers estimated on Monday to be about 5,000 acres.
In the Southern California Mountain Authorities issued evacuation orders on Monday for communities in the path of a wildfire that broke out over the weekend in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles and was burning toward populated areas.
The area has been left parched by an ongoing drought plaguing California and much of the U.S. Southwest.
California has endured a string of devastating wildfires over the past several years as a lingering drought and warmer temperatures have left forest and grasslands bone dry.
The blaze was listed as only 5 percent contained as of Monday morning and the nearly 700 firefighters were hampered by flames burning in dense vegetation and steep terrain, fanned by erratic winds.
No casualties at either fire’s had been reported and no structures burned, according to fire managers, but downed power lines were hampering communications.
PHOTO: SMOKE RISING AS THE PIPELINE FIRE BURNS NEAR FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA
