PHOENIX — Fire crews battled a 40-acre brush fire that sparked near Loop 101 and State Route 51 Friday afternoon.
Fire officials say the fire started around 2 p.m and it was quickly upgraded to a second-alarm brush fire. Friday's heat, dryness and windy conditions all led to an increase in danger.
“The initial worry was that the fire would run through the vegetation and threaten some of the structures around or become out of control,” said Phoenix Fire Capt. Kenny Overton.
Fire crews from Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale, and Peoria and the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management responded to help control the blaze.
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Officials say firefighters were able to get the fire under control within three hours.
No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged.
The Arizona Department of Transportation said the transition ramp from State Route 51 northbound to Loop 101 Pima eastbound was closed for several hours but has since reopened.
UPDATE: Transition ramp from SR 51 NB to L-101 Pima EB has reopened. https://t.co/VjiOiaAt0r
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) June 5, 2021
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
While officials have said the wildfire season typically doesn't begin until late June, some warned in March that due to a drier-than-typical winter, Arizona could be in for a busy wildfire season.
