Crews work to extinguish large barn fire in Sun Lakes

VIDEO: Firefighters are battling a large barn fire that has burned dozens of hay bales on Thursday afternoon. The fire broke out late Thursday morning at a barn near Price and Riggs roads in Sun Lakes, outside of Chandler. Arizona’s Family news chopper was over the scene and witnessed hay bales in flames underneath a pole barn. One vehicle was spotted spraying water on the out-of-control flames. The blaze was upgraded to a second alarm response as additional fire crews and resources were requested. Chandler Fire says that due to limited fire hydrants in the area, Riggs Road is shut down in both directions between I-10 and Price Road. There’s no estimated time when the road will reopen. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
KTVK-TV CBS 3 & KPHO-TV CBS 5 Phoenix (AZ Family)

Golder Ranch Fire recruits get first hands on training

VIDEO: Every Summer new recruits get trained for the Golder Ranch Fire District. This year’s class is over 20 strong and did some of their first hands on training Thursday morning. Today’s lesson is how to handle car fires. “It's a danger everyone has because almost everyone owns a car," Division Chief Adam Hastings said. "It’s just something that can happen at any time in the communities.” A prop metal car is used to simulate the fire over and over again, hooked up to a gas line. One of the first things trainees are taught is to spray the ground around the car to clear any debris or gas that could light up later. Alex Gerber is a new recruit. He says his instructors have stressed the danger car fires bring, as almost every call involves one or multiple passengers.
KGUN-TV ABC 9 Tucson

Arizona wildfire activity outpacing 2023, figures show

VIDEO: We’re only halfway through summer, and wildfires continue to ignite throughout the state. Worse yet, forecasts call for things to get worse. The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management says so far, 173,000 acres have burned statewide. That translates to about 270 square miles, or half the size of Phoenix. At the same time in 2023, 106,541 acres were burned. Meanwhile, the total number of fires in 2024 stands so far at 1,202, of which 260 were sparked by lightning, and 942 were human-caused. "There’s really not one area of the state that’s not touched by fire at this point," said Tiffany Davila with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. "If we continue to see the monsoon storms rolling in with no precipitation, we will continue to see more starts across the state."
KSAZ-TV FOX 10 Phoenix

Rio Verde Foothills community, North Scottsdale area work to become Firewise community

VIDEO: After the Rio Verde Foothills community and the North Scottsdale area have seen multiple wildfires in the last year, the community is taking action to become safer and more aware. The area has gathered five board members who are working with the State Department of Forestry and Fire Management with the goal of becoming a Firewise community. In the last few months, neighbors have watched as the Boulder View and Wildcat Fires burned thousands of acres. In 2023, many people feared for their homes with the Diamond fire. "As the community, we came together and thought we need to do a little more," said Damon Bruns. Bruns has lived in the area for decades and told ABC15 it was the Diamond Fire over a year ago that prompted the push to become a designated Firewise community.
KNXV-TV ABC 15 Phoenix

Arson suspect accused of starting Watch Fire near San Carlos arrested

VIDEO: An arson suspect has been arrested, accused of starting a wildfire that left homes devastated and over 2,000 acres burned on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation earlier this month. Officials say 22-year-old Keanu Dude was charged with arson in connection to the Watch Fire, which forced hundreds to evacuate on tribal land. The San Carlos Apache Police Department (SCAPD) and the Tribe’s Game & Fish Rangers took Dude into custody on Tuesday, 13 days after the fire broke out. He is being held in the San Carlos Adult Detention & Rehabilitation Center, and officials say he has a history of assault, domestic violence, and other charges. “It saddens me deeply that a member of our tribe has been charged with starting this fire that devastated our community,” said San Carlos Apache Tribe Chairman Terry Rambler.
KTVK-TV CBS 3 & KPHO-TV CBS 5 Phoenix (AZ Family)