Arizona, Wildfire | featured news

Two cousins who admitted to accidentally starting the largest wildfire in Arizona history by leaving a still-smoldering campfire unattended were each sentenced to 48 hours in jail on Wednesday and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service. Caleb Malboeuf, 27, and David Malboeuf, 25, were also placed on five years' probation by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Aspey in Flagstaff, Arizona, for the raging wildfire that torched 840 square miles in eastern Arizona and New Mexico last summer, according to assistant U.S. attorney Patrick Schneider.

The last wave of evacuees from a wildfire that has grown to 45 square miles may be allowed to return home Thursday, authorities say.

Arizona’s Sen. John McCain (R) said illegal immigrants may have started some of the wildfires that have forced thousands of people from their homes in his state, but he did not give evidence to support the statement.

The Wallow Fire has now burned more than 469,000 acres in eastern Arizona and New Mexico, 10,000 more than a 2002 fire that had been the largest in Arizona history.

Lisa Carpenter defied evacuation orders when a massive wildfire in eastern Arizona crept closer to the RV park she manages, but at one point she had second thoughts about her decision.

Deep within the burn zone, firefighters have taken care not to trod on two small areas where fires were first spotted about two weeks ago.

Thousands more were ordered to leave as the authorities grew worried about the out-of-control nature of the fire.

Stiff winds whipped up a gigantic blaze in the mountains of eastern Arizona on Monday, forcing the evacuation of a third resort town and casting a smoky haze over states as far away as Iowa....

Crews on Saturday worked to protect several small Arizona communities from two large wildfires by clearing away brush near homes and planning to set fires aimed at robbing the blazes of their fuel.

Two Arizona wildfires have consumed more than 200,000 acres and prompted evacuations, officials said.