m3g1c4n

High winds exacerbate fires in Romero and Circle near Kearny

Posted on by Vaseline

Authorities said strong winds from a passing thunderstorm Saturday night intensified two fires that have burned more than 9,500 acres near the city of Kearny.

The fires in Romero and Circle, about 14 miles (22 kilometers) southwest of Kearny and about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Phoenix, spread overnight as firefighters struggled to contain both blazes due to the storm, which brought unpredictable wind gusts of 50 mph (80 kph).

Both fires occurred just under a week after the Freeman Fire burned 84,000 acres to the south.

The winds pushed the Romero fire about 1,600 acres to the northwest, hitting patches of mesquite, grass, brush and desert shrubs that provide heavy fuel for fires, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said in its latest update.

The surrounding communities of Oracle, Mammoth and Kearny, as well as people driving along State Routes 79 and 77, likely saw plumes of smoke from firefighting operations and the weather, the department said.

Pinal County placed residents of the 3C Ranch community was placed under a “firm” pre-evacuation status on Saturday afternoon, with advice to be prepared to evacuate if the nearby Romero Fire worsens.

According to Forestry and Fire, the fire has burned 6,900 acres since it started Friday. The neighboring Circle Fire, which started the same day, has burned 2,700 acres.

Investigators have not yet determined a cause for the fires. Emergency services are still working to extinguish the fires.

As the fires in Romero and Circle continue to burn, authorities have closed Freeman Road and asked motorists to avoid Barkerville and Willow Springs roads. A section of the Arizona Trail between Oracle and Kearny is closed to hikers, who are advised to take an alternate route.

Firefighters assigned to the Romero fire will begin work Sunday to head off the fire’s advance to the north, by finding new control lines and upgrading existing lines installed Saturday, Forestry and Fire said.

They will also be bracing for the possibility of another storm that is likely to bring more high winds in the afternoon. Such winds “could result in extreme fire behavior” like they saw on Saturday.

Shawn Raymundo covers the West Valley cities of Glendale, Peoria and Surprise. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami.