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An emergency evacuation has been ordered Monday for El Capitan residents as wildfires continue to devastate Arizona.
The Gila County Sheriff's Office sent out a notification for the area 80 miles east of Phoenix. The order was issued at 5:30 a.m. MST, for the people of Gila County living on either side of State Route 77. The advisory called the threat "imminent and life-threatening."
The emergency advisory from Gila County put El Capitan in "Go" mode. Residents were asked to safely, but quickly evacuate the area. Another advisory was sent out by the county at 8 a.m. MST for the Dripping Springs area to evacuate on "Go" orders.
"Residents should evacuate immediately to a shelter or with family/friends outside of the affected area. Residents should avoid close contact with those who are sick and should practice public health recommendations when relocating," The notification said. "Follow instructions from emergency personnel, stay on designated evacuation routes and avoid closed areas."
The sheriff's office informed residents of the imminent danger to the area and warned that if they ignore the evacuation advisory, "emergency services may not be able to assist [them]," the statement said.
The state of Arizona is using the READY, SET, GO! evacuation plan for the Mescal and Telegraph wildfires. The three-step system allows emergency services and law enforcement to issue phased guideline notifcations to prepare residents to evacuate the area, according to the Ready for Wildfire website.
Areas under the system are asked to "harden" their homes with fire-resistant materials and maintain "defensible space" between the home and plant life that could ignite the house in the event of a wildfire. "Ready" initiates preventative measures for all residents before wildfires begin.
Areas in "ready" mode are not in immediate danger. The Gila County Sheriff's Office brought Miami, Claypool, Central Heights and Globe back down to "ready" in an emergency notification on Sunday afternoon. The area near Globe is where the wildfires are thought to be originated from, according to officials.
The advisory also moved Shooter, Ice House and Kellner Canyons residents back into their homes with a "Set" warning. People in "Set" areas are asked by officials to make a plan to evacuate and secure living arrangements in the event of an evacuation.
The Telegraph and Mescal wildfires began on the first days of June and have scorched massive areas of Arizona. The Telegraph wildfire has burnt over 88,000 acres, while the Mescal fire has burnt over 72,000 acres of land, according to data from InciWeb.
The cause of the wildfires is still being investigated by officials in the area. Fire crews are working to contain both of the wildfires in the Southeastern part of Arizona.
