Latest news with #GreerFire
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Map: US states could face unhealthy air quality due to Canada wildfires
Several dozen wildfires burning in Canada have led local authorities to declare states of emergencies and forced thousands of people to evacuate. Now, they are expected to send smoke drifting into the United States on Friday. As of Friday, there are 174 active wildfires in Canada, with 94 of these considered to be "out of control," meaning fires that are being observed and assessed, but not immediately suppressed, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Some of the smoke from these fires will run along winds that are turning south in the coming days -- carrying it into the United States. Northern Minnesota, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and most of Wisconsin are under air quality alerts, with the smoke considered dangerous for sensitive groups. Most people can still remain active outdoors, but should take breaks indoors and monitor if symptoms like shortness of breath or coughing arise. Heavy smoke will reach Green Bay, Wisconsin, at approximately noon local time on Friday, creating hazy skies. Going into Friday afternoon and evening, noticeable smoke is expected over Michigan and Chicago. Sunset in Milwaukee and Chicago on Friday may have an orange hue, as well, with heavy wildfire smoke projected to reach the area by nightfall and potentially spreading as far as Detroit. The smoke will continue to disperse as it moves into Appalachia and the Southeast on Saturday, with another batch of smoke expected to travel into the Dakotas and Great Plains. As of Friday, the areas in Canada with the most fires include British Columbia with 61 and Alberta with 51. The country is also now at the highest National Preparedness Level, meaning they have requested international help to put out the flames and equipment and personnel from every jurisdiction in Canada is being put to use. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe declared a state of emergency for the Canadian province on Thursday amid a spate of wildfire outbreaks. There were 17 active wildfires in Saskatchewan as of 11:30 a.m. Thursday, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency President and Fire Commissioner Marlo Pritchard said during an afternoon press conference. Of those, three were contained, eight were not contained and five were under assessment, he added, while one was listed as "protecting values" -- referring to a process of setting up tactics, such as water sprinklers, to guide the fire away from areas that could increase risk or damage. MORE: Greer Fire expands to 20,000 acres, over 700 personnel battling flames "Travel may be impacted due to forest fires in northern Saskatchewan," the Saskatchewan Highway Hotline said in a post on the Government of Saskatchewan's Facebook page on Thursday afternoon. "We've had to evacuate and support the evacuation of about 15 communities," Moe said during the same press conference on Thursday. He explained there has been a "significant lack of moisture" in the northern parts of the province causing "over 200 wildfires" in Saskatchewan this spring. Amid his emergency declaration, wildfires continued to spread in the northern part of the province and into other parts of Canada. The neighboring province of Manitoba had first declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as wildfires forced some 17,000 people to flee, according to The Associated Press. MORE: Why glaciologists believe the Birch Glacier collapsed, burying a nearby Swiss town Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered "Canada's full support" to the province in a post on X on Wednesday. "The premier and I are in close contact, and the federal government stands ready to assist Manitoba's provincial wildfire teams," Carney wrote in the post. The region saw 15 active fires as of Thursday night, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. ABC News' Ellie Kaufman, Kenton Gewecke and Daniel Manzo contributed to this report. Map: US states could face unhealthy air quality due to Canada wildfires originally appeared on
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Fire crews take on blazes across the state overnight including one in Phoenix
Firefighters have gained control over three brush fires that cropped up throughout the state on the night of May 20, ranging from rural grass fires in southeastern Arizona to a brush fire in the heart of Phoenix. This came after the Greer Fire in eastern Arizona reached 88% containment. The blaze began May 13 and burned over 20,00 acres. Residents in the unincorporated community and surrounding areas were allowed to return to their homes after the fire was 55% contained. Meanwhile, fire danger was still possible throughout the state. The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management along with the Bureau of Land Management, announced new stage 2 fire restrictions within central and western Arizona May 21. Stage 2 restrictions were already in place in northeastern and southern/southeastern Arizona, the forestry department said. Here's what happened with the three fires that sparked up overnight around the state. Residents near Oracle were under a 'set' evacuation status until firefighters gained control over the nearby Cedar Fire, which burned a little over 10 acres of the Coronado National Forest, according to a Facebook post from the U.S. Forest Service. Emergency response officials downgraded the evacuation status to "ready" early in the afternoon on May 20 for some areas. "Set" remained in effect the morning of May 21 for zones 14, 15, 16 and 17, the forest service said. 'Set' status meant that residents should be prepared to evacuate at short notice. The Pinal County Sheriff's Office announced that the town of Oracle was under 'significant fire danger' during the evening of May 20 as the evacuation status went into effect. Fire crews suppressed the Cedar Fire throughout the night, declaring that the flames had stopped expanding by late evening. The fire was officially 5% contained as of 6:40 a.m. May 21, though the U.S. Forest Service said the fire was 'surrounded by containment lines,' and crews had begun mopping up the fire's perimeter. Twelve engines, two helicopters and two large air tankers responded to the Cedar Fire, including a task force from Utah, according to a post on X by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Firefighters had to adjust operations during the evening after an unauthorized drone was spotted flying above the fire, the U.S Forest Service said. Emergency authorities have emphasized that flying over active wildfires is illegal, possibly leading to fines of up to $25,000. The cause of the Cedar Fire was under investigation. Fire crews have also stopped the expansion of the Maverick Fire, northeast of Willcox. The fire kicked up during the afternoon of May 20, burning through desert grasses and brush in an area called Cowboy Canyon, the Arizona Forestry Department said. Large air tankers and engines responded to the blaze, which grew to 20 acres before forward progress was stopped the afternoon of May 21. Smoke was still emerging from the fire's footprint during the morning, and three engines remained to keep the flames from popping up again, the state forest department confirmed. The Phoenix Fire Department responded to a brush fire that sparked in the Salt River bottom near the intersection of Seventh Street and University Drive the evening of May 20, according to an email from the department. Phoenix Fire had yet to release another update on the fire, as of May 21. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brush fire in Phoenix and two other fires pop up overnight across AZ
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Greer Fire reaches 88% containment, one week after the eastern Arizona blaze began
Calmer winds have helped firefighters make incredible progress on the Greer Fire. The blaze was 88% contained, as of 8 p.m. May 20 and at 20,308 acres, according to federal tracker InciWeb. "It's always a good thing when we can add some containment on the fire, so we're looking good on that part," Operations Section Chief Bryan Carpenter said during an operational update May 20. Residents in the eastern Arizona unincorporated community and surrounding areas returned to their homes as the fire, which had burned more than 20,000 acres, reached its one-week mark. Here's what else to know about Arizona's largest fire to date in 2025. Residents were allowed to return home as the evacuation orders that rely on a "ready, set, go" scale were downgraded to "set." Fire officials warned the fire was still burning, and people should expect smoke and the occasional flames as work continued. Dry and much warmer weather was on the way for the rest of the week, according to the National Weather Service. Winds will be light through May 21, then become gusty over the next few days, the weather service said. People planning a Memorial Day weekend getaway should not be deterred. Businesses were open, but guests at lodging facilities were subject to the same "ready, set, go" guidance as the locals. Campfires and stove fires were banned across the area, including charcoal briquettes and smoking, according to a notice from Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Forest officials have also closed trails and roads near the Greer Fire as of May 19. As of May 19, State Route 260 and State Route 373 were open to traffic, save for a small section of State Route 261, to the east of the fire area, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The fire's origin was still under investigation. As of May 20, 636 people were still deployed to beat back the fire. The Northeastern Arizona Public Information System has links to numerous agencies involved in fighting the fire, from the U.S. Forest Service to local emergency management information. This can be found at Reach the reporter at or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on social media @maryjpitzl. . Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Greer Fire reaches 88% containment, burning 20K acres since its start
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Evacuations lifted, roads back open in Greer Fire area as blaze reaches 39% containment
Eastern Arizona residents evacuated due to the Greer Fire can now return home, and roads threading through the area were reopened. The news comes as the fire, which has spread over 20,324 acres, was 39% percent contained as of the evening of May 19, according to InciWeb, a federal tracker. 'Today is the day there is light at the end of the tunnel," Haley Nicoll with Apache County Emergency Management and Preparedness told a gathering of locals inside Round Valley High School's auditorium. Residents were briefed on what to expect as they return home after being ordered to evacuate days earlier and where to find resources to help them put their lives back in order. Here's what to know as the fire fighting continues while residents try to resume life as normal. Fire officials reported they have 39% of the fire contained, which means they are fairly confident it will not spread beyond the boundaries they have established. As of May 19, the fire had affected 20,324 acres. The fire was still burning, and firefighting continues, said Matt Rau, incident commander for the fire. 'You're going to see some glowing out there — the fire is not out," he said. There was good news and bad news at the briefing. The good news — Winds, which had gusted up to 45 mph May 19, were dying down and the coming days were expected to be quieter, the National Weather Service said. The bad news — The area will remain dry through the coming weekend. There was a slight chance of some precipitation early next week. Power was back on throughout the area, from Greer to Big Lake and North Fork to Sunrise, said Chuck Moore of the Navopache Electric Cooperative. Moore said power lines had been de-energized to avoid having trees fall and heighten the risk of the fire's spread. Most roads in the area were now open, including the main artery of State Route 260 and State Route 373. A portion of State Route 261, between mileposts 394 and 412, was closed to the general public but will be accessible for local residents, the Arizona Department of Transportation said. Apache County Emergency Management and Preparedness placed two dumpsters at the Greer Community Center so residents can dispose of spoiled food and yard waste. Staffers were conducting a community survey to determine specific needs and how to match resources to those needs. The area is still in "set" mode, which means locals should be prepared to leave on very short notice. Businesses can return to normal; there are no restrictions on allowing guests at areas hotels and lodges, although all should be mindful that the "set" status applies to them as well. The fire will still be visible, and firefighting efforts will continue. Residents and travelers should drive with caution. Reach the reporter at or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on social media @maryjpitzl. . Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Greer Fire evacuations lifted, some roads reopen: What to know
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Greer Fire scorches over 20,000 acres across eastern Arizona: What to know
A wildfire in eastern Arizona has set over 20,000 acres ablaze in the span of a week. After six days of fighting the blaze, dubbed the Greer Fire, fire officials announced that they had gotten control of the fire. As of May 19, the Greer Fire is 39% contained. Hundreds of firefighters are working to extinguish the wind-driven wildfire, which is currently burning through natural plant material, including grass, shrubs and timber. "As a result of substantial work securing heat near the edge of the line, fire managers were able to add some containment to the fire this morning," according to a May 19 daily update posted to InciWeb, an information management system maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. "Today, all available resources are actively working to secure the fire perimeter and cool hot spots to prevent the spread of the fire by wind-driven embers." Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs declared a state emergency that will release $200,000 in state funds to the firefighting effort after a May 17 visit to the fire zone, according to reporting by The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network. "Everything we heard today is such a testament to the partnership and the coordination that doesn't just happen in the middle of a catastrophic incident," Hobbs said. "I'm committed to helping ensure those families have the resources they need post-fire... I know we're all expecting a bad season." Here's what we know about the Greer Fire so far. The Greer Fire broke out in Greer, Arizona, a small town over 200 miles northeast of Phoenix, around 11 a.m. on May 13. The wind-driven fire was pushing to the east/northeast along the ridges through grass and pinyon-juniper. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to InciWeb. Fire personnel were expected to continue to patrol and up hotspots along the control lines to prepare for unfavorable weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning, which warns of warm temperatures, very low humidities, and stronger than average winds, remains in effect across several regions until 8 p.m. local time on May 19. Eagar, Springerville and St. Johns, communities neighboring to the Greer Fire, were also subject to a Red Flag Warning. The weather conditions forecast "critical fire weather" in the White Mountains, Little Colorado River Valley and northeastern plateaus, according to a forecast from the National Weather Service's field office in Flagstaff. Dangerous fire conditions were expected to continue through May 19, according to an X post from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Lighter winds are expected on May 20. "One spark into the dry veg under red flag conditions can start a rapid spreading wildfire," a warning from the agency reads. "Avoid burning or using tools that spark. Please do your part to prevent wildfires." The Apache County Sheriff's Office issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents in Eagar, Greer, South Fork and all areas west of State Route 261 on May 16, three days after the wildfire began. Eagar residents located south of State Route 260 between River Road and the SR 260/U.S. 180 junction — directly east of the fire — were included in the evacuation area. The fire had crossed east over State Route 261. The latest Greer Fire evacuations could be seen on an interactive map provided by the National Interagency Fire Center. Shelter for evacuees were open at the County Fairgrounds in St. Johns and the Alpine Community Center. Blankets and food were available for those who had been evacuated, according to the Apache County Office of Emergency Management website. Greer Fire animal victims: Where residents can take horses, livestock and other animals This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Greer Fire scorches over 20,000 acres across eastern Arizona
