A wildfire ramped out of control Monday in woodland outside of Los Angeles while meteorologists warned about the threat of fire conditions in the parched west after a weekend of record temperatures.
The pipeline fire, reported only six miles north of Flagstaff on Sunday morning, has increased to about 6.000 hectares, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
South-west was afflicted by a one-off drought which made the vegetation extremely dry and flammable.
More than three million people in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, were subject to red flag warnings Monday which highlighted the heightened fire risk.
In New Mexico, hundreds of thousands of acres of forest have been devastated in forest fires that have burned for months.
US 89 remains CLOSED north of Flagstaff due to the #PipelineFire.
NB lanes are closed at milepost 425 while SB lanes are closed at milepost 445.
Here is a current look at US 89 at Campbell Ave. pic.twitter.com/6jnX0kM5iX
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) June 13, 2022
Another fire has been reported, known as the Haywire Fire, northeast of the Pipeline Fire. The fire has burned 1,600 acres and was first reported at 5:30 a.m. this morning. GO evacuation orders have been issued for Crater Estates. MORE INFO: https://t.co/C0jqmc3TTZ pic.twitter.com/X4oA30Dwg0
— Coconino County (@CoconinoCounty) June 13, 2022
Be careful, it's going to be a tough day out there…dangerous fire weather conditions are expected today across most of northern Arizona. Strong winds (gusting 40-50mph) and very low relative humidity will create conditions favorable for the rapid growth of wildfires. #azwx pic.twitter.com/sodKrVi71c
— NWS Flagstaff (@NWSFlagstaff) June 13, 2022
