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Navajo Nation fire grows to nearly 10,000 acres; cause still under investigation
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A northeast Arizona fire has grown to nearly 10,000 acres, forcing 350 people to evacuate.
The Oak Ridge Fire — about 8 miles southwest of Window Rock on Navajo Nation land — is 0% contained, according to social media updates from Nation officials. About 350 people are battling the fire that has burned 9,846 acres as of 9 a.m. Tuesday, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said in a social media post. That fire grew overnight Monday from 6,500 acres.
No injuries have been reported, and the cause remains under investigation.
Twenty-three evacuees are staying at the Bee Hółdzil Fighting Scouts Events Center in Fort Defiance. Another shelter was set up at the Window Rock Fighting Scouts Event Center on Navajo Route 12. People can take their animals to the Dean C. Jackson Memorial Arena in St. Michaels.
Volunteers are needed to monitor overnight stays for the evacuees and can stop by the event center to volunteer, according to the office of the Navajo Nation president's website.
The Navajo Department of Emergency Management said on social media that tribal elders with clearance and social media influencers have reportedly gone close to the fire zone. The department encouraged people who weren't fighting the fire to stay away.
"When tribal leaders go into the fire without any ... clearance or social media influencers collect content for their followers, it creates more public safety concerns on this fire emergency, including interrupting flight plans," Incident Commander Lt. Tyler Lynch said in a statement.
Due to the fire, Nygren signed an executive order Sunday enacting Fire 2 restrictions prohibiting all open flames.
