Another blaze in Arizona: Brush fire burning in Cave Creek, north of Phoenix
The forward progress on the Cahava Fire near Cave Creek has been halted, Daisy Mountain Fire & Medical announced Thursday morning.
Working alongside Tonto National Forest crews, firefighters closely monitored the fire overnight. No homes are currently at risk, and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Daisy Mountain Fire & Medical also warned that the lack of winter rain has increased the likelihood of brush fires. Residents near brush-prone areas are advised to create a "defensible space" around their homes by maintaining a clearance of 70 to 100 feet between flammable materials and structures. This includes trimming trees, managing overgrown vegetation, and clearing roofs of debris and leaves.
A brush fire had burned approximately 200 acres near Cave Creek as of Wednesday evening.
According to Daisy Mountain Fire & Medical Captain Mike Snodgrass, the unnamed brush fire was inaccessible by foot and vehicle and not a threat to any structures.
The fire was burning near Cahava Ranch Road and Rockaway Hills Drive, north of Cave Creek Regional Park. Daisy Mountain fire crews responded at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday morning and remained on scene. The cause of the fire was unknown at this time.
Snodgrass said crews from Daisy Mountain, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and Tonto National Forest were monitoring the fire and will be patrolling throughout the night.
In an update posted to Facebook early Wednesday evening, the town of Cave Creek said, "Tonight, some residents may see the glow of the fire in this inaccessible area of state trust land. Currently, no homes are threatened by the fire, and Daisy Mountain Fire District and the Tonto National Forest crews...will be able to protect any homes with fire equipment if needed."
Cave Creek residents can download the free CodeRed app to stay up to date on emergencies and utility outages.
(This story has been updated to add new information and a gallery.)