Fire from a pipeline in Arizona, about six miles from Flagstaff has scorched over 20,000 acres, about four times the area, according to Coconino National Forest officials.
Two smaller fires in the vicinity, the Haywire Fire and Double Fire, are now combined and called the Haywire Fire, and is about 4,000 acres in size, a release from the national forest said on Wednesday.
Both fires were at 0% containment as of Tuesday afternoon, the release added. The Pipeline Fire was reported Sunday, and the Haywire Fire on Monday, according to authorities.
Hot, windy and dry conditions have hampered firefighting efforts, but “lower wind speeds may allow for aerial operations throughout the day Tuesday and beyond,” the release said.
Officials earlier closed access to nearly the entire northern portion of the forest.
The US Forest Service announced the arrest of a 57-year-old man Matthew Riser, believed to have allegedly started the fire.
