What To Know About The Ocotillo Fire In Cave Creek Arizona

PHOENIX — Saturday afternoon a brush fire started in the Town of Cave Creek forcing hundreds to evacuate. According to the latest media release from the town, 20 structures have been destroyed. Eight of these properties were primary residencies. The fire is being referred to as the Ocotillo Fire.

#ocotillofire update for the evening of May 31 https://t.co/cBI6eB6Wy0
— Town of Cave Creek (@CaveCreek_AZ) June 1, 2020

As of the evening of May 31, the human-caused Ocotillo Fire has burned 1,216 acres in North Phoenix and is 10% contained.

By 5 p.m. June 1, the Town of Cave Creek will notify those residents impacted with structure loss.

“Public safety remains our top priority and we must work as safely, yet as quickly as possible to begin the reentry process. We understand your frustration and we know you want to get back into your homes. However, we must mitigate all hazards before allowing residents to return," said Incident Commander Darrell Willis of the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) in a statement to the media.

As of 5 p.m. May 31 the DFFM and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) lifted portions of the evacuation order. This included the areas of Rancho Manana and School House Road. MCSO also reduced the hard closure areas north of Spur Crossing and Grapevine and west of 60th street and Fleming Springs.

The areas still under evacuation will remain closed for at least the next 72-hours due to hazards like down power poles and lines and propane tanks are leaking. These areas include:

• Everything north of East Cave Creek Road to the Tonto National Forest
• Everything east of 38th Street
• Everything north of New River Road
• Everything west of North Cave Creek Road to 38th Street

The Red Cross has set up an evacuation shelter at Cactus Shadows High School at 5802 E. Dove Valley Road.

Updated map for the #OcotilloFire evacuation area pic.twitter.com/5wD1GDwdw2
— Town of Cave Creek (@CaveCreek_AZ) May 31, 2020

Fires break out in the deserts surrounding Phoenix metro.

The Ocotillo Fire is only one of many fires that erupted over the weekend.

The Sawtooth Fire in the Superstition Wilderness was reported Saturday evening ear Coffee Flat east of Apache Junction and eight miles east of Gold Canyon. The fire currently covers 3,500 acres and is 5% contained, according to DDFM.

According to Tonto National Forest, where the fire is located, the fire started when lightning struck two miles east of beloved hiking trail, the Peralta Trailhead. The fire seems to be burning in the footprint of 2019's Woodbury fire.

Additionally, the Sunset Fire along the east side of 1-17 near Bumble Bee (north of Black Canyon City) has burned just over 4,500 acres and caused the highway to shut down over the weekend. The Arizona Department of Transportation reports that the 1-17 has been partially reopened.

The Range Fire in Pinal County has also burned thousands of acres. There were also dozens of small wildfire incents across the state.