By admin 
WICKENBURG, AZ (AZFamily) — Firefighters are inching toward gaining the upper hand over the Jones Fire that is burning northwest of the Valley.
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Fire officials announced Tuesday night that the fire is 10% contained as about 200 firefighters work to extinguish the flames near Wickenburg. The fire remains at 84 acres.
Jones Fire Evening Update for Tues. 5/12:
— AZ Dept. Forestry and Fire Management (@azstateforestry) May 13, 2026
The fire remains at 84 acres & is 10% contained.
Today resources worked across the fire’s perimeter focusing on expanding & strengthening containment line to ensure it will hold through tomorrow’s high winds. Engines patrolled &… pic.twitter.com/GloEZdsymm
They also said the closed lanes of the U.S. 60 highway and other neighborhood roads will open up around 8 p.m.
Firefighters point to calmer winds to help with the containment.
Investigators believe the fire started in the riverbed and was human-caused.
This comes as the areas near the U.S. 60/South Kerks Street through Arrowhead Trailer Park were ordered to evacuate just before 9 a.m. Tuesday and are still closed.
Neighborhoods on Turtleback Road, Cottonwood Lane and S. Tegner Street were told to be prepared for an evacuation, also known as “Ready” status.
The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said on Monday night that firefighters stopped the flames, but not before eight to 10 RVs were destroyed in Wickenburg.
Diane Harding, a resident of Arrowhead Trailer Park, returned Tuesday morning to find her home destroyed.
“I smelled smoke and I opened the door, and my neighbor had a hose out and I said, ‘Is there a fire?’ and he said, ‘Yes.’ And I turned around and it was right there,” Harding said. “So, I turned my water on and went out there and started spraying and that’s when the fire department started banging on everybody’s doors and said ‘Get out! Get out!’ and I said, ‘I’m not leaving.’”
Harding lost all of her brand-new equipment for a T-shirt business she had just started.
“I’m trying to recognize things, there’s my window air conditioner. My refrigerator used to be over there,” she said while surveying the damage.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help Harding out.
Fire officials said the fire is burning in the Hassayampa River bottom in salt cedar, cottonwood, grass and brush.
All Wickenburg Unified School District schools will be closed on Tuesday, but Wickenburg Christian Academy remains open.
The Arizona Department of Transportation said the highway is open except for the right lanes in both directions between Wickenburg Way and Morristown, which is roughly 9 miles, as the Jones Fire burns in Wickenburg.
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Arizona Public Service (APS) shut off power east of Highway 60 during the height of the firefight, and the fire damaged some equipment. Roughly 176 customers lost power, but it has since been restored.
Maricopa County Emergency Management issued the first GO status on Monday afternoon, calling for residents to evacuate immediately along U.S. 93 to Zabel Mine Road, from the railroad tracks west of U.S. 60 to the east of U.S. 60.
Students from the Hassayampa Elementary School were evacuated and sent to Wickenburg High School, where parents picked them up.
The American Red Cross has opened a shelter in the gym at Wickenburg High School, located at 1090 S. Vulture Mine Road, for evacuees and others in need of assistance due to the fire.
Fire officials said 25 people were displaced. Some had their belongings and pets. Arizona Humane Society workers were also at the shelter helping people.
The Wickenburg Fire Department brought a SWAT vehicle to Academy For Early Learning, a day care just outside of Wickenburg but within the evacuation zone, to help evacuate five staff members and 28 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.
Arizona’s Family news chopper captured video of a large plume of black smoke and flames engulfing an RV park. Multiple vehicles and trailers caught on fire as firefighters worked to control the fast-moving flames.
Multiple aircraft responded Monday, including four single-engine air tankers and two large air tankers. Arizona’s Family news chopper saw one aircraft dropping fire retardant over some areas.
On the ground, resources include fire engines, a dozer, and hand crews. Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers are assisting Wickenburg police officers with traffic control.
Residents in the impacted areas are urged to gather items such as prescription medications, identification and other important documents.
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