Thousands evacuated in Arizona wildfire
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15/07/2003
Some five thousand residents of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation were evacuated from their homes when a wildfire burning out of control quadrupled in size in mountains in eastern Arizona, fire officials said. Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano declared a state of emergency for two counties worst affected by the fire, which swelled to 5,800 acres in the last 24 hours. The fire, near the town of Whiteriver and the Fort Apache Reservation, was sparked by lightning over the weekend. It started spreading rapidly, prompting authorities to order thousands of residents out of their homes at only a few hours notice.