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An Arizona wildfire in Bagdad, a mining community in Yavapai County, has destroyed dozens of homes and the entire town remains under an evacuation order, local authorities said.
No injuries have been reported, while an estimated 25 to 30 homes were destroyed by the blaze dubbed the Spur Fire.
Fueled by dry grass and brush, the fire has burned 150 acres of land since it broke out Thursday afternoon, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said in a Thursday evening post on Facebook.
Fire crews have stopped the forward progress of the blaze, which was 25 percent contained, as of late Thursday, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (AZ State Forestry).
In a tweet late Thursday, the department said at least 13 primary structures and over 10 secondary structures were destroyed, and damage to utility infrastructure was also confirmed.
The entire town was reported to be without power and remains under an evacuation order, WVFD (Williamson Valley Fire Department)-Bagdad Fire & Rescue said in a Facebook post late Thursday.
AZ State Forestry said power lines in Bagdad had been "de-energized for safety" and phone lines were also down "as fire burned through fiber optic cables," in a tweet Thursday.
"APS [Arizona Public Service] is working to restore power overnight. An evacuation shelter has been set up at the Hassayampa elementary School in Wickenburg," the WVFD said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. But the initial investigation shows that it may have been started by road construction, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office.
Crews have stopped forward progress on #SpurFire; 150 acres, 25% contained. After more thorough property assess: 13 primary structures confirmed destroyed, & 10+ secondary, & damage to utility infrastructure. Evacs in place & will be re-evaluated tomorrow am. #AZFire #AZForestry pic.twitter.com/xcZXC3nMAo
— AZ State Forestry (@azstateforestry) May 28, 2021
According to the public affairs officer for the Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Tiffany Davila, the cause of the fire appears to be related to dry conditions.
Davila told FOX 10 Phoenix: "Dry not only in Baghdad but across the state, so that really is what firefighters are dealing with right now."
Newsweek has contacted the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office and the WVFD-Bagdad Fire & Rescue for comment.
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Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in Read more