Greer Fire Update: Map Shows Arizona Blaze Spreading as Emergency Declared

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has declared a state of emergency in Apache County to combat the Greer Fire, which according to InciWeb has burned approximately 15,985 acres in eastern Arizona. The county is located approximately 220 miles northeast of Phoenix.

Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management official Tiffany Davila confirmed the InciWeb acreage number to Newsweek in an email response.

The fire, which began on May 13 in the small unincorporated community of Greer, continues to spread with mandatory evacuation orders now in effect for multiple communities.

The Context

The rapidly expanding wildfire threatens numerous communities in eastern Arizona, with over 100 homes already evaluated for fire risk.

Weather conditions are expected to worsen over the weekend with strong winds and lower humidity, potentially accelerating the fire’s spread, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The emergency declaration releases $200,000 from the general fund to support firefighting efforts, supplementing federal assistance approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

What To Know

On Friday, the Apache County Sheriff’s Office issued a mandatory “go” evacuation orders for residents in Greer, South Fork, areas west of State Route 261, and Eagar residents south of State Route 260 and west of River Road.

Several communities are under “set” status, meaning residents should be prepared to evacuate at short notice.

Three state roads are currently closed: State Route 260 (between mileposts 380-394), State Route 261 southbound (from SR 260 to Three Point Mountain Trailhead), and State Route 373 southbound (between mileposts 385-390).

A red flag warning is in effect for Saturday afternoon in the Little Colorado River Valley, White Mountains, and Northeast Plateaus, with a fire weather watch issued for Sunday afternoon in the eastern Little Colorado River Valley.

The warning is issued to notify fire officials of potentially hazardous weather conditions expected within the next 12 to 24 hours.

“A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly,” the NWS said.

Gov. Hobbs confirmed on social media that she would be traveling to Springerville on Saturday to receive an operational briefing from incident commanders and assess the situation firsthand.

The NWS in Flagstaff and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have issued the following advisories and warnings:

• Wind advisory on May 17 for portions of Coconino and Yavapai counties
• Red flag warning for Saturday, May 17, afternoon for the Little Colorado River Valley, White Mountains and the Northeast Plateaus
• Fire weather watch for Sunday, May 18, afternoon for the eastern Little Colorado River Valley

Map created by AZ Desk:

What People Are Saying

Governor Katie Hobbs wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “I have declared a state of emergency in Apache County to combat the Greer Fire. My heart is with everybody who has been impacted by this devastating wildfire.”

She added: “This morning, I am traveling to Springerville to receive a briefing from first responders on the ground leading our efforts.”

Tiffany Davila, spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management wrote in a statement: “Hard work over the past several days will be tested by higher winds.”

What Happens Next

Evacuation shelters remain open at the Apache County Fairgrounds in St. Johns and at a Community Center in Alpine, providing accommodations, food, and support for displaced residents.

State officials say fire managers are preparing for near-critical fire weather over the weekend, with southwest winds between 15-30 mph and powerful gusts predicted through Monday. Two additional Type 1 helicopters are arriving on Saturday to enhance aerial firefighting capabilities, according to local station AZ Central.