‘Wall of fire’: Arizona blaze forces thousands to flee

Al Jazeera English published this video item, entitled “‘Wall of fire’: Arizona blaze forces thousands to flee” – below is their description.

A wildfire in the US state of Arizona has nearly tripled in size after high winds kicked up a towering wall of flames outside a tourist and college town that ripped through two dozen structures and drove thousands of people from their homes.

Flames as high as 30 metres (100 feet) raced through an area of scattered homes, dry grass and Ponderosa pine trees on the outskirts of Flagstaff as wind gusts of up to 80kph (50mph) pushed the blaze over a major highway.

Firefighters faced strong winds and bone-dry conditions as they battled the blaze, which officials said late on Tuesday threatened to destroy hundreds of homes as it moved northeast towards Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

Al Jazeera’s Katia Lopez-Hodoyan.

Al Jazeera English YouTube Channel

Got a comment? Leave your thoughts in the comments section, below. Please note comments are moderated before publication.


About This Source - Al Jazeera English

The video item below is a piece of English language content from Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera is a Qatari state-funded broadcaster based in Doha, Qatar, owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network.

Recent from Al Jazeera English:

Can international justice stop israel? | inside story 1

Can international justice stop Israel? | Inside Story

A prolonged dry spell across the Indian-administered Kashmir

US march for life: Abortion rights likely issue in Nov election

In This Story: Arizona

Arizona, a southwestern U.S. state, is best known for the Grand Canyon, the mile-deep chasm carved by the Colorado River. Flagstaff, a ponderosa pine–covered mountain town, is a major gateway to the Grand Canyon. Other natural sites include Saguaro National Park, protecting cactus-filled Sonoran Desert landscape.

2 Recent Items: Arizona

Coyotes @ Canucks 1/18 | NHL Highlights 2024

‘Arrests Are Coming’ in Beating Death of Arizona Teen Preston Lord: Police Chief

In This Story: Volcano

A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates are diverging or converging, and most are found underwater.

2 Recent Items: Volcano

Indonesia volcanic eruption: Thousands evacuated from island of Flores

Indonesia volcano: Thousands evacuated due to increased activity

Leave a Comment

We don't require your email address, or your name, for anyone to leave a comment. If you do add an email address, you may be notified if there are replies to your comment - we won't use it for any other purpose. Please make respectful comments, which add value, and avoid personal attacks on others. Links are not allowed in comments - 99% of spam comments, attempt to post links. Please describe where people may find additional information - for example "visit the UN website" or "search Google for..." rather than posting a link. Comments failing to adhere to these guidelines will not be published.