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Evacuations lifted in Woodbury Fire, containment now 48%
Posted
A human-caused wildfire burning for over two weeks in the Superstition Mountains east of metro Phoenix has grown to over 115,000 acres.
A Tuesday morning update by the Tonto National Forest said the Woodbury Fire is 48% contained.
The Gila County Sheriff’s Office also lifted an evacuation notice for Roosevelt area residents that began over the weekend.
Authorities are hopeful the fire will be fully contained by mid-July.
No homes have been damaged since the fire was spotted June 8 about 5 miles northwest of Superior, a mining town of fewer than 3,000 residents located 60 miles east of Phoenix.
Retardant drops were utilized near Montana Mountain and Sawtooth Ridge on the southern perimeter to establish a strong control line in front of a pocket of unburned vegetation, a release states. Aerial ignitions were then conducted to fill in that area to secure that piece of the fireline.
Most of the fire growth was observed Monday in the area near Yellow Jacket Spring south of Roosevelt Lake. Helicopters with water buckets helped with fire suppression.
Crews on Tuesday inspected the drainage where the fire progressed to assess fire activity. Burning interior pockets of vegetation was expected to produce smoke throughout the day.
State Highway 188 is now fully open from Globe to Payson with temporary reductions in speed. Crews are still patrolling the corridor to ensure all values in the Roosevelt area are protected. Firefighters are working on multiple highways and roads.
Residents and recreationists should monitor the Arizona Department of Transportation website or Twitter for road information. Motorists everywhere should decrease speeds and yield to fire traffic.
State Highway 88 remains closed from Tortilla Flat to State Highway 188 at Roosevelt Dam. The Tonto National Monument remains closed.
Residents can call 928-402-8888 for more information.
