Hundreds allowed to return home as Grapevine Fire burns out of control near Prescott Valley
PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — As firefighters work to gain containment on the Grapevine Fire near Prescott Valley, a neighborhood is allowed to return on Thursday. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said firefighters made progress in protecting properties and camps, so the evacuation notice for White Horse Ranch was lifted, and homeowners can return at 7 p.m. That impacts about 500 homes. They are still on “set” status, meaning they should still be prepared to evacuate. Evacuees will have to check in at the roadblock at Highway 169 and Old Cherry Road. 4-H Camp and Cherry Community are still on standby to evacuate.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Grapevine Fire has burned about 1,041 acres with 0% containment since it started on July 21, about 10 miles east of Prescott Valley. The flames are burning through brush, timber and grass. More than 300 firefighters have been assigned to the fire. Officials say fire crews are still monitoring the fire’s west side while holding and improving existing fire lines. They called in additional equipment, like dozers and helicopters, to help. However, terrain and limited access aren’t making containment easy.
Monsoon rain and storms should help the firefight, but the forecast also calls for gusty winds and lightning. Smoke can be seen from multiple towns and areas, including Prescott Valley, Dewey, Prescott and along Highway 169.
For current evacuation information, contact the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office at 928-771-3260 or follow them on Facebook. For fire information, call (928) 925-1111, or stay updated on Prescott National Forest news by checking the Prescott NF website and following them on Facebook and Twitter.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2023 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
