Residents in the communities of Pine, Strawberry and Hunt Ranch have been allowed to return to their homes after the Backbone Fire forced them to evacuate for more than a week.
The areas, however, remain in Set status for a possible future evacuation. Firefighters have contained 43% of the lightning-caused fire that’s grown to more than 40,000 acres. It started nearly two weeks ago in the Fossil Creek Wilderness.
Crews will continue to extinguish hot spots on the fire’s edge and conduct repair work in the burned area.
The Arizona Department of Transportation has now reopened State Route 87 after it was closed because of the fire.
