PHOTO: Mohave County is closing its popular park in the Hualapai Mountains as a public safety measure due to a wildfire ignited by lighting last Sunday.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Jean Bishop signed an emergency declaration Thursday, effectively closing Hualapai Mountain Park at sunrise today.
Strong wind activity this week helped the Ridge Fire to grow to almost 2,300 acres by Thursday afternoon. No injuries are reported and no structures are threatened by the blaze that is burning about five miles south of the small community of Pine Lake.
“The park closure is a prudent precaution to limit the number of persons in the Pine Lake area, particularly hikers in the park that would need to be located, notified and evacuated,” said Mohave County Communications Director Roger Galloway.