A wildfire spreading in Arizona has destroyed two dozen buildings and forced hundreds of evacuations.
High winds are pushing the Tunnel fire, which is burning north of Flagstaff, Arizona, in a northeast direction, across U.S. Highway 89, according to forest officials. People have evacuated more than 750 homes since the fire started on Sunday.
The fire has burned 6,000 acres and was 0% contained as of Tuesday night, according to the Coconino Forest Service. The fire was reported at 4:22 p.m. Sunday and has exploded in size since the original report.
“The fire is located in an area with dry grass and brush, with scattered Ponderosa pine,” the Coconino Forest Service said in a Tuesday afternoon update. “Windy conditions can cause this fire to rapidly spread in a northeast direction and cause spotting ahead of the fire.”
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Multiple communities close to the fire were told to evacuate, according to Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll.
More than 200 firefighters and personnel are working to combat the growing fire, according to the Coconino Forest Service.
While officials have not reported any casualties or injuries, one person called about a man trapped inside his burning house, according to the New York Times. It is unclear whether the man survived.
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Officials closed U.S. Highway 89 in both directions north of Flagstaff due to the wildfire, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
