Nearly three years ago, the Yarnell Hill Fire killed 19 firefighters and destroyed hundreds of homes in the community of Yarnell northwest of Phoenix. Now, another wildfire is threatening the town, though fire officials seem optimistic about avoiding a loss of property.
The Tenderfoot Fire started Wednesday, June 8, and spurred evacuations of some 250 residents from Yarnell. The blaze is burning on the east side of town, whereas the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire was on the west side. The cause was under investigation, but there was no lightning in the area Wednesday.
Officials said early Thursday that the fire's intensity had died down overnight, and that crews were able to use existing fire breaks to minimize the danger to homes in Yarnell and Peeples Valley. They cautioned that high temperatures and winds could intensify the fire, though the wind was expected to push the fire away from town.
As of noon Arizona time Thursday, the fire had burned 1,237 acres and was 10 percent contained, according to InciWeb (bookmark that page for the latest official updates about the blaze). Aircraft, hotshot crews and hand crews were being used to fight the fire, and officials expected to have it fully contained by next week.
We reached out to Kathy Montgomery, an Arizona Highways contributor who lives part time in Yarnell, to see how people can help residents displaced by the fire. She recommends donating to the Yarnell Hill Recovery Group, which was established in the aftermath of the 2013 fire. She adds that monetary contributions, rather than donations of furniture or other items, are best at this point.
UPDATE (6/13): The fire is now 40 percent contained, and media reports indicate that Yarnell and Peeples Valley are no longer in immediate danger. That's a relief.