On the year anniversary of a blazing wildfire that killed 19 Hotshot firefighters, nearly 700 personnel, including six Hotshot crews, are battling a blaze that has been growing for four days. The fire was consuming 5,700 acres in and near the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest and was 5 percent contained on Monday morning, according to the forest service.
While the blaze grew by 700 acres overnight, officials said the growth was largely due to burnout operations. Winds had decreased since the weekend, officials said, but low humidity and above-average heat were still challenging efforts to squelch the flames. Temperatures in the area are forecast to reach a high of 98 degrees on Monday, according to Weather.com. The fire is thought to have been man-made and is under investigation, officials said. While the fire is burning largely in the woods, three neighborhoods remained under evacuation orders, and a red cross shelter was established Thursday for about two dozen displaced residents.
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— Elisha Fieldstadt
