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2 Arizona towns empty as wildfire approaches

SPRINGERVILLE, Ariz. – The remaining residents of two eastern Arizona towns in the path of a massive wildfire have been ordered to evacuate.

The Apache County sheriff ordered everyone still in Springerville and Eagar to leave on Wednesday evening. About 7,000 people live in the towns and surrounding areas, although many already have left.

The order came as a spot fire made it past fire lines. Fire spokesman Jim Whittington says the flames are not in the towns.



About half of Eagar was ordered evacuated on Tuesday.

The 607-square-mile blaze has already made about 2,700 people flee mountain towns in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.



Firefighters say they have zero containment of the fire in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona.


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