The wildfire had burned a total of 151,000 acres as of Friday morning, after growing more than 36,000 acres since Thursday, according to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
The Bush Fire is the largest of four wildfires burning in Arizona, alongside the Magnum Fire, the Sawtooth Fire and the Bighorn Fire, and has become the fifth-largest wildfire in state history.
The fire began almost a week ago, on June 13 around 2 p.m., near the intersection of Bush Highway and Highway 87. It was sparked by a vehicle fire.
Hot and dry conditions, coupled with increased winds that pushed the fire north and east, have caused the fire to grow quickly, with only 7 percent of the perimeter contained by the 885 firefighters on site.
An abundance of tall grasses and brush, as well as the low fuel moisture in those plants, has also produced extreme fire conditions.
The danger in the affected areas has been called “imminent and life-threatening,” according to the Tonto National Forest. On Thursday, evacuation notices were issued for eight communities across Gila and Maricopa counties.
Residents of Brownsville, Jake’s Corner, Slate Creek and Pioneer Pass were ordered by Gila County officials to evacuate by Thursday afternoon. Evacuation notices have also been issued for Apache Lake, Sunflower, Pumpkin Center and Tonto Basin.
Over 2,000 people have been evacuated as a result of the Arizona wildfires. So far, there are no reports of injuries or damage to structures.
Newsweek reached out to Tonto National Park for comment but did not hear back before publication.
There are closures on State Highway 87 and Highway 188. The Sugarloaf, Four Peaks, Lower Sycamore, Pobrecito, Butcher Jones, the Rolls, Saguaro Del Norte Recreation Areas and Saguaro Lake recreation areas have been closed.
Unfavorable weather conditions will keep the Bush Fire burning into the weekend. Low winds but increasing temperatures are expected over the next week and will contribute to extended burn periods overnight. The fire is projected to move north.
Lighter winds have been forecast for Friday afternoon and into Saturday, which will allow smoke to lift out of the Tonto Basin, where it has been concentrated recently.
Abnormally high temperatures and a lack of precipitation have been the main drivers of these fast-growing fires. According to the National Weather Service in Phoenix, the city has not seen any measurable rainfall in more than two months. Monsoon season in the area will not begin until July.
Newsweek reached out to Arizona’s Department of Forestry and Fire Management for comment but did not hear back before publication.
