KGUN 9NewsLocal News

Actions

Wildfire prompts evacuation order outside Grand Canyon

Posted at 4:11 PM, Apr 23, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-23 19:41:59-04

 Authorities are evacuating residents of a small northern Arizona community because of a wildfire.

The Coconino County Sheriff's Office says the fire started Monday with someone burning debris.

It's in Valle on state land about 35 miles north of Williams.

Tiffany Davila is a spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. She says one vacant structure has burned and others are threatened.

She says the 160-acre wildfire is not threatening the state highway that leads to the Grand Canyon but motorists likely will see smoke.

Sheriff's spokesman Jon Paxton says a pre-evacuation order is in place for other residents farther out from the fire.

About 50 people are fighting the fire, and state officials have ordered aircraft to help slow it.