{"id":353,"date":"2026-05-15T19:33:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T19:33:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=353"},"modified":"2026-05-15T19:33:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T19:33:50","slug":"firefighters-fully-contain-hazen-fire-near-buckeye","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=353","title":{"rendered":"Firefighters fully contain Hazen Fire near Buckeye"},"content":{"rendered":"

FRIDAY, MAY 15 UPDATE <\/b>\u2014Crews have gained 100% containment on the Hazen Fire just south of Buckeye, authorities said. <\/p>

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The wildfire burned a total of 1,191 acres since starting on May 2. The fire is now in patrol status, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management<\/p>

Previous updates to this story are below. <\/i><\/p>

BUCKEYE, AZ (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 Firefighters are continuing to make progress and gain containment as the Hazen Fire burns south of Buckeye. <\/p>

The fire in the Gila River bottom near Hazen and Rooks roads has burned roughly 1,191 acres since starting Saturday and is 78% contained as of Thursday morning, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM). The increase in acreage includes the burned area from Monday\u2019s operations.<\/p>

Despite fire activity increasing due to dry vegetation in the area, crews gained containment on the fire\u2019s southwest corner. <\/p>

In an update on Wednesday, forestry officials said firefighters will continue patrolling contained sections of the fire perimeter and checking for heat near containment lines. On the east side, crews are continuing to hold the fire line to prevent the flames from spreading. <\/p>

Forestry officials say crews spent most of Monday constructing containment lines ahead of the fire, then burned vegetation along the line to reduce the chance of spreading. Firefighters patrolled the area throughout the night and reported no new issues. <\/p>

APS crews are beginning restoration work on damaged power lines. Residents may continue to see smoke in the area as clean-up continues. <\/p>

Weather Conditions Improve <\/h3>

After a warm and windy Sunday, crews said the weather has been more favorable, with calmer winds and cooler temperatures Monday.<\/p>

\u201cSo completely opposite of what we saw yesterday [Sunday] at this time,\u201d DFFM spokesperson Tiffany Davila said.<\/p>

Davila said the west side of the fire near state Route 85 is \u201cpretty secure,\u201d and the smoke people are seeing is coming from the north-northeast side of the fire.<\/p>

That\u2019s where firefighters are concentrating most of their efforts and making a contingency line, like a backup line, behind the containment line in the area.<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019re hoping this contingency line holds,\u201d Davila said.<\/p>

More resources, including a dozer, a strike team of engines and a hand crew, were ordered on Monday to assist. <\/p>

Davila said approximately 120 people are fighting the flames during both day and night shifts.<\/p>

While it\u2019s unclear how the fire started, Davila said there were no storms in the area Saturday afternoon, so lightning has been ruled out. <\/p>

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality issued a notice saying the agency is monitoring smoke levels from the wildfire. Officials say if you smell smoke, you are breathing smoke.<\/p>

Residents in the area should limit time outdoors and close all windows and doors to protect the air inside homes. This is especially important for anyone with respiratory issues. Officials recommend setting air conditioning units to \u201crecirculate\u201d to prevent pulling in outside air.<\/p>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Challenging Conditions<\/h3>

Salt cedar, which isn\u2019t native to Arizona and grows in dense strands, is making it difficult for firefighters to access the fire and contains heavy amounts of dead branches, leaf litter and other fast-burning material.<\/p>

Officials said residents in the area will see smoke and visible flames, but they urged people not to panic. No evacuations or school closures have ever been ordered in connection with the fire and the flames aren\u2019t threatening any properties. <\/p>

All roads remain open. <\/p>

\u2018Like A War Zone\u2019<\/h3>

The fire was first reported around 3 p.m. Saturday, about a mile east of State Route 85 and just south of MC 85.<\/p>

A smoke plume was visible for miles, leaving hazy conditions across much of the West Valley. Officials urged residents to monitor air quality through the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.<\/p>

Cellphone video showed flames racing through the Gila River bottom just feet from the Parkside Travel Trailer Park in Buckeye.<\/p>

\u201cIt looked like it was right on top of us at that point,\u201d Noah Hill said. \u201cMy eyes are burning. Ashes are falling from the sky.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s like a war zone almost \u2014 it\u2019s scary,\u201d Alexis Byrd said.<\/p>

Hill said the fire knocked down power lines and burned through the river bottom up to a canal.<\/p>

Buckeye Fire Department crews were first on scene, with the state Department of Forestry and Fire Management later taking command. Air support was challenging Sunday because of the wind, Hill said.<\/p>

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\u201cThe wind is crazy for planes to be flying,\u201d he said.<\/p>

Officials said a helicopter began the day making bucket drops but was later grounded due to wind conditions. The department later brought in single-engine air tankers to drop retardant and water to knock down spot fires along the perimeter.<\/p>

For some residents living nearby, the fast-moving flames prompted quick preparations.<\/p>

\u201cI packed my guns. I packed everything I could \u2014 cash, medicine,\u201d Hill said.<\/p>

Hill said he planned to stay and remained hopeful crews could keep the fire from spreading into homes, noting there are farm fields and green vegetation between some properties.<\/p>

The wildfire stopped at the property line of the Buckeye Equestrian and Event Center, sparing nearly 300 cattle and dozens of horses on site.<\/p>

The fire burned everything on one side of a dirt road, melting and snapping a power pole. On the other side, an irrigated alfalfa field, cow pasture, RV park, horse stables, and arenas remained green and untouched.<\/p>

Don Nahrgang, general manager of the equestrian and event center, is grateful that the fire never crossed onto the property.<\/p>

\u201cWe have a pretty good fire line right here, and the wind didn\u2019t push it across,\u201d Nahrgang said. \u201cThere\u2019s an irrigation ditch it never crossed, and then the professionals up here, if there was a spot fire, an ember came, they put it out right away, so it never did come to the property. Plus, the only thing that could really burn here would be my cow pasture, and it never happened, so we\u2019re very lucky.\u201d<\/p>

Susan Long, who lives in the RV park and keeps her horse on site, says it was divine intervention.<\/p>

\u201cHonestly, I thank God. I don\u2019t know. I mean the water, and they were irrigating, and I think that\u2019s what saved us,\u201d she said.<\/p>

She saw flames shoot into the sky. The heat and black smoke were so intense, and the fire was moving so fast, she had to leave. She rushed her horse to safety at a different facility.<\/p>

\u201cLooked like a bomb; there was so much black smoke coming up,\u201d Long said.<\/p>

Long returned home to sleep last night, but said she is worried about the air quality.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m wondering if that\u2019s why I have a headache and don\u2019t feel good cause I\u2019ve been kind of just fussing with that all day, woke up this morning was not OK I think the smoke is just making it real hard to breathe,\u201d Long said.<\/p>

Nahrgang said the center moved cattle out of a 15-acre fenced area with trees because of concerns about embers with the wind blowing. The cattle were moved to grass pastures on the other side of the property.<\/p>

All of the cows and horses on site are safe. The vet clinic, bar, and restaurant, also on the property, are back open.<\/p>

No one was forced to evacuate, but all the animals at the vet clinic cleared out, and many of the people who live near the fire line left as a precaution.<\/p>

A Buckeye firefighter said crews had previously cleared brush along the highway and around nearby property to reduce the risk of the fire spreading quickly.<\/p>

Previous fuel clearing helps protect infrastructure<\/h3>

Chad Gilliam, an off-duty Buckeye firefighter, happened to have the day off and joined other neighbors as they watched the brush burn Saturday.<\/p>

Gilliam said just years ago, a swath of brush along the highway was cleared in preparation for this exact scenario.<\/p>

\u201cThey cleared the fuel, the brush right by the bridge, to protect that infrastructure,\u201d Gilliam said.<\/p>

That work is now protecting homes on the other side.<\/p>

\u201cAs long as it doesn\u2019t pass the bridge, the houses over here and other stuff should be good,\u201d said Rigdon Hunter, who lives nearby.<\/p>

Neighbors like Hunter are thankful.<\/p>

\u201cIt would destroy a lot of houses if it got out this way,\u201d Hunter said.<\/p>

APS de-energized power lines in the area for safety Saturday afternoon, but according to the APS outage map, electricity was restored to a handful of customers. Firefighters said the fire damaged some electrical equipment, too.<\/p>

Buckeye Fire officials said there are no injuries or structures damaged.<\/p>