Oak Ridge Fire: Updates on the fire burning near Window Rock

Firefighters have made significant progress on the Oak Ridge Fire, which has burned nearly 11,000 acres near Window Rock.

The fire’s containment number has reached 75%, up from 26% just two days ago. Also, the number of personnel on the fire has notably decreased.

Evacuations are still in place in one area on the Navajo Nation affected by the blaze. A community meeting giving the latest update on the fire is scheduled for Tuesday.

Firefighters are making progress on the Oak Ridge Fire, which has burned nearly 11,000 acres near Window Rock.

The fire’s containment doubled from 13% to 26% from Friday to Saturday. About 600 people are assigned to fight the blaze, and its cause is still under investigation.

Less than 20 people remain under evacuation status. That number was initially more than 300.

Officials estimate that less than 100 people remain under evacuation orders due to the Oak Ridge Fire after authorities let some of those displaced go home.

Containment increased to 13% on the nearly 11,000 acre blaze located southwest of Window Rock.

Hundreds of people are fighting the fire, including by patrolling the perimeter as fire activity inside is expected to grow due to weather.

The Oak Ridge Fire has burned 10,623 acres just southwest of Window Rock. Firefighters seem to be making progress, as it’s now 6% contained.

That's the first containment number fire officials have been able to report since the blaze started on June 28. Around 580 people are working to fight the fire and its cause is still under investigation.

Anne Reid, a spokesperson with the Southwest Complex Incident Management Team, said high winds allowed the fire to grow significantly on June 30, but conditions appear to be improving.

“On the last few days, we’ve had more desirable weather," Reid said. "We have a little bit lower temperatures, higher relative humidity and less wind. So the fire behavior’s gone down. It allows firefighters to engage more direct on those fire edges.”

Crews are no longer working night shift.

“They are all on day shift," Reid said. "With that thunderstorm and rain [Wednesday] night, it made it unsafe for crews to be out on those dirt roads.”

About 100 homes or 350 people have been evacuated from the area.

BIA Wildland Fire Management - Navajo Region

Monsoon rains may have brought some relief to those on the Navajo Nation affected by the Oak Ridge Fire.

Pushed by high winds earlier in the week, the blaze, located in far-eastern Arizona near the New Mexico border, has spread to more than 10,000 acres.

As of Thursday morning, the fire was 6% contained, according to Navajo Department of Emergency Management.

The Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team assumed control of the wildfire after it started over the weekend and grew rapidly.

Up to 500 fire personnel are battling the blaze. About 100 homes and 350 people have been evacuated from the area.

More than 350 people have been evacuated from their homes southwest of Window Rock on the Navajo Nation as firefighters continue to battle the Oak Ridge Fire.

"There's no way you're going to stand in front of it like Moses parting the seas there. You're going to get fire personnel out of the way, you're going to get the community members out of the way of that fire," said Anne Reid, a spokesperson for the Complex Incident Management Team.

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The Oak Ridge Fire has grown to almost 10,000 acres and is still zero percent contained, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Wildland Fire Management - Navajo Region said in a press release on Tuesday morning.

Officials say the weather is complicating the efforts to fight the blaze. On Monday evening, winds pushed the fire 6 miles west and flames as high as 200 feet tall were reported. More than 400 personnel are working the fire being fueled by grass and timber.

Evacutation orders are in place for the communities of Hunters Point and Oak Springs north of mile marker 12 and west of Navajo Route 12, north to El Paso Gas Station Road and the Klagatoh Pump Station Area.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A hotline has been set up to take questions from the public. For information, call 505-422-7382.

The Oak Ridge Fire in Apache County continues to burn at 1,800 acres with zero percent containment. The blaze is located about 8 miles southwest of Window Rock.

The Navajo Nation declared a state of emergency due on Sunday to the fire’s growth.

Residents are advised to remain alert and follow the direction of firefighters and safety personnel.

Alastair Lee Bitsóí is public information officer for the fire’s incident command center.

“So, the Department of Emergency Management is following the Ready, Set Go! steps. And so that means maintain awareness of significant danger," he said.

The fire has caused some families to evacuate. According to officials, the fire is human-caused.