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Lighting strike ignites fire in McDowell Park
Photo courtesy of Don Lawrence
Photo taken from Centipede Drive by Vice Mayor Mike Scharnow
Posted
A lightning strike from a dry monsoon storm ignited a wildfire in McDowell Mountain Park about 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20.
By mid-day Friday, Arizona State Forestry reported the fire had burned through 290 acres. Aerial attack had been initiated, but the area is inaccessible expect by foot or air. Personnel and equipment were being gathered to make an attack Friday. A hot shot crew has been ordered.
A TV helicopter captured on video a lone desert jogger attempting to scratch a fire line with his feet and kick dirt on flames early Friday morning.
The Town of Fountain Hills used its CodeRed alert system to send a message to residents just before noon on Friday.
“The weather cooperated during the night and conditions look good for Friday so far. The fire is about 1.5 miles from the north Town border,” the alert stated.
“State Fire has multiple jurisdictions providing ground support as well as air support. Work continues to extinguish the fire on the perimeter. At this time there is no threat to the Town. In the event that conditions change, the town has an evacuation plan in place for areas in Fountain Hills.
“The town will be using Code Red, its emergency notification system, to alert residents if there is a need to evacuate or to inform residents about rapidly changing conditions of this fire.”
McDowell Mountain Regional Park is temporarily closed due to the fire.
