Strong winds creating challenges for firefighters as 2 wildfires grow in Arizona

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Two wildfires are burning across Arizona, and strong winds have caused the flames to grow in size. Crews are working to put out the Williams Fire in southern Arizona and the Tuzigoot Wildfire near Clarkdale and Cottonwood but are running into challenges along the way.

The Bureau of Land Management is calling the Williams Fire erratic as it’s spread over 1,000 acres near Bisbee. “The further it went, the worst it got. My reaction from seeing black smoke is evidently that buildings were going up of some kind,” said Doug Kittleson, one of the evacuees.

Two homes and several buildings have been lost in the flames. People living near the fire, like Kittleson, were told to evacuate on Monday. “With this wind, we can see what happens. In just a half an hours time it was clear across the river; that’s like four miles,” he explained. The Bureau of Land Management says the blaze has stopped spreading and is 25% contained.

Meanwhile, firefighters are working to contain the Tuzigoot Wildfire in northern Arizona. “Access was extremely difficult because we had a really steep mountain on one side and water in the middle, and there were some trees that were 12 to 15 feet tall that were growing together you can’t even walk through,” said Verde Valley Fire Chief Danny Johnson.

The Tuzigoot Fire started Sunday evening and has now spread over 100 acres. Johnson is calling this fire unique. “A majority of the fire was actually burning on top of water,” he said. “There’s an old marsh that had quite a bit of water from all the flooding that we had last week.”

As of Tuesday night, the blaze is about 80% contained as crews look for hotspots and ensure the wind doesn’t carry embers. Johnson says this is the start of what could be a busy wildfire season. “In Arizona, we used to have a fire season, but now our fire season is year-round, so our crews are always ready to respond,” he said.

The Tuzigoot National Monument and trails within the park remain closed.

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