FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.—A wildfire in northern Arizona has grown to 14,000 acres but is now 20 percent contained. Authorities say the 800 firefighters are gaining the upper hand on the blaze and the estimated 1,000 evacuees may be allowed to return Wednesday morning.
Massive clouds of smoke still choke Flagstaff as firefighters battle to keep a nearly 19-square-mile wildfire from heading toward the mountain town of about 60,000 people.
About 750 homes remained under evacuation orders as crews worked on containment lines on the south and north sides where the so-called Schultz fire is most active.
The blaze is about five miles from Flagstaff on the southernmost edge where rocky terrain and rolling hills make the terrain more difficult for fire crews to access. Gov. Jan Brewer toured the fire area Tuesday afternoon.
