A wildfire burning south of Buckeye, Arizona, has spread across nearly 1,000 acres, with residents describing the blaze as “like a warzone”.
The Hazen fire started around 3 p.m. Saturday, growing by over 300 acres that night alone, and is currently zero percent contained, Arizona’s Family reported. By Sunday the fire had reportedly spread across 980 acres.
Residents near the Gila River bottom reported flames approaching residential areas, including the Parkside Travel Trailer Park.
“It looked like it was right on top of us at that point,” said local resident Noah Hill. “My eyes are burning. Ashes are falling from the sky.”
Another resident, Alexis Byrd, said, “It’s like a war zone almost — it’s scary.”
No injuries have been reported so far, Buckeye Fire Department said, but aerial firefighting measures have been undermined due to the extreme weather conditions.
A helicopter initially deployed to conduct water bucket drops was forced to land as winds reached speeds of up to 30 mph.
However, four Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) have been target spotting fires along the wildfire’s perimeter, using specialized suppressant and then water drops as conditions demand.
An off-duty firefighter, Chad Gillam, said prior brush-clearing work prevented the fire from reaching a highway bridge.
In a statement posted on X on Sunday evening, Arizona’s Department of Forestry and Fire Management said: “Those in the surrounding area can expect to see smoke and active flames overnight.”
“The cause of the fire is undetermined. Our priority is full suppression to protect the public and values at risk.”
Arizona Public Service (APS) temporarily de-activated power lines as a precautionary measure. Electricity has since been mostly restored, though some electrical equipment has been damaged by the fire.
Firefighters in the surrounding area have been clearing out vegetation and dry debris to deny the blaze fuel.
As of yet, no evacuations have been ordered and schools are operating as normal.
Most wildfires burn between May and November, but they can occur year-round. Approximately 1.8 million acres have been scorched so far this year, about twice as much as the same period of 2025 and almost equal to that of 2024, according to the National Interagency Fire Centre (NIFC).
Alongside the Hazen fire in Arizona, there were 16 other large wildfires burning across the U.S., according to the NIFC’s most recent report on Friday.
The rising cost of jet fuel, which was jumped by 65% since February, has restricted the deployment of firefighting aircraft across the U.S., with hourly rates ranging from $3,000 to $40,000 depending on the aircraft.
Efforts have also been constrained by budgetary requirements, U.S. Forest Service having $45 million budget for fuelling firefighting aircraft, down from $52 million last year.
The Forest Service told CBS “aviation fuel prices will not impact our ability to respond to fires.”
On Sunday, Arizona’s Department of Forestry and Fire Management said, “aircraft are a tool to support ground resources where it makes sense and they can be effective.”
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