Two massive wildfires blazing in Arizona force hundreds of people to evacuate

Phoenix: Two massive wildfires blazing in Arizona have triggered evacuation orders for hundreds of people as it has scorched over 100,000 acres.

According to InciWeb wildfire information system on Monday, the Telegraph Fire in Pinal County had razed some 56,626 acres since it erupted on Monday, and forced the 250-person community of Top-of-the-World, located less than 1.6 km from the scene, to be evacuated on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office called the evacuation order to Top-of-the-World a “GO! – Evacuate”, meaning residents should move immediately to a shelter or with family or friends outside of the affected area.

“If you choose to ignore this advisement, you must understand emergency services may not be able to assist you further,” the authority warned on its official Facebook page.

Residents in the nearby town of Superior, which has a population of roughly 3,000 people, had been advised to get ready to evacuate after being placed in “SET- Be Alert” status due to the fire on Monday morning.

The other wildfire first reported on Sunday, the Mescal Fire, has burned 49,631 acres across the Mescal Mountains, some 193 km east of the state capital Phoenix, and was only 8 per cent contained, according to InciWeb.

So far there is no report of casualties from the fires.