More residents flee as Arizona Wallow fire grows
Baku, June 9 (AZERTAC). A huge wildfire in the US state of Arizona that has forced thousands from their homes, continues to grow as the blaze rages for an 11th day.
The fire is heading for transmission lines that supply electricity to hundreds of thousands of people as far east as Texas, and could reach the power supply as early as Friday.
The so-called Wallow fire is now the second-largest in the state's history. Two more towns in the fire's path were evacuated late on Wednesday.
Winds fuelling the fames drove the last hold-outs from Greer, a small town near the New Mexico border, and pushed out 7,000 residents from the nearby towns of Eagar and Springerville.
At this point, official say, the wildfire, named after the Bear Wallow Wilderness area is considered to be 0% contained.
Firefighters used bulldozers to clear away brush and trees, attempting to create a barrier for area homes as the fire approaches.
Over the border in New Mexico residents of the town of Luna are on similar alert.
Winds have been moving the flames five to eight miles per day since it started over a week ago, say officials, possibly caused by an unattended campfire.
Smoke rising from the flames had reached right across the country on Tuesday, visible six states to the east, and cancelled flights hundreds of miles away.
No serious injuries were reported, but the fire cut into the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, said fire incident command spokeswoman Dellora Guager, and the surrounding town's futures remained in doubt.
The roughly 2,500 firefighters battling the blaze - drafted in from as far away as New York - are being hampered by winds of about 30mph (50km/h), with gusts above 60mph (100km/h).
A state of emergency has been declared in the counties of Apache and Greenlee.
This is the second largest fire on record in Arizona - a blaze in 2002 burnt through 732 sq miles in the centre of the state.
As well as Arizona, smoke is said to be visible in New Mexico, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado - where some municipal health departments have issued air-quality warnings.
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