Coconino County Sheriff Bill Pribil announcing that evacuations should be lifted in the morning as Governor Jan Brewer looks on. (Patrick Walker/NAZ Today)
FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today)– Evacuees displaced by the Schultz Fire will likely be allowed to return home Wednesday morning.
Coconino County Sheriff Bill Pribil announced during a press conference this evening that residents will be allowed to return home beginning tomorrow morning. He cautioned, however, that pets should not be immediately brought home. He said that in the “unlikely event” that evacuations are re-ordered, it will make it easier for residents to pack up and leave in a timely fashion.
The Schultz Fire grew to 14,000 acres, but firefighters were able to gain more control on the perimeter of the fire during the day Tuesday. The fire is now 20 percent contained.
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer addresses the media Tuesday evening near the Schultz Fire (Patrick Walker/NAZ Today)
Governor Jan Brewer addressed the media from the press camp near the fire, and said that taxpayers will not likely have to foot the bill for fighting the fire. “Most of the money to pay for this fire should come from FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) [...] because of the emergency declarations,” Brewer said. ”You will all be in my prayers,” the Governor added before stepping away from the podium.
Incident Commander Dugger Hughes said that around 800 firefighters are working the fire. Hughes said it will still take a couple of weeks to gain full containment around the fire.
NAZ Today’s Patrick Walker recaps the press conference below:
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