Wildfire burning in eastern Arizona reaches 60 percent containment
May 5, 2014, 8:55 AM | Updated: 8:55 am
PHOENIX — Firefighters gained the upper hand on a wildfire burning in eastern Arizona.
The combination of ground crews, heavy air tankers and helicopters has contained a 300-acre blaze to 60 percent. The fire is burning two miles from Alpine.
Cathy Dowd with the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest said wind had been expected to pose a major challenge over the weekend, but slowed down enough for firefighters to fully line and backburn the area.
The human-caused fire started on private property and is still under investigation.
The site was close to the area where the 2011 Wallow Fire chewed up more than 500,000 acres to become the largest fire in recorded Arizona history.
