A wildfire that sparked near the heart of Arizona, just south of Flagstaff and north of Prescott, has been burning for nine days straight and has engulfed more than 21,000 acres of land. Evacuations and fire restrictions are currently in place as hundreds of firefighters continue to battle this blaze at a multi-million dollar cost to the state.

The Slide Fire wildfire sparked in the late afternoon on Tuesday, May 20 in the area of Oak Creek Canyon, which is located north of Slide Rock State Park in Arizona. As of Thursday, May 29 the inferno has destroyed approximately 21,067 acres of land and is now at 55 percent containment, according to the most recent update from InciWeb.

This wildfire, one of approximately nine that are currently burning in the state, has led to a number of restrictions and closures in and near the affected area.

The Coconino National Forest has issued an emergency closure of all National Forest System lands within the area of the Slide Fire on the Coconino National Forest in Coconino and Yavapai Counties.

Additionally, due to increasing fire danger in and around the area where the wildfire is burning, the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests announced that they plan to implement Stage II fire restrictions effective Friday May 30 at 8:00 a.m.

Stage II fire restrictions in the Southwest United States include the complete prohibition of the following acts in the affected areas:

Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal or wood stove including fires in developed campgrounds are prohibited. Additional prohibitions include smoking (except within an enclosed vehicle or building) and the discharging of firearms except while engaged in a lawful hunt pursuant to state, federal, or tribal laws and regulations.

Also, the following mechanical and industrial prohibitions are in place under the Stage II rules: operation of any internal combustion engine; welding or operating acetylene or other torches with open flames; and using any type of explosive within the set perimeter.

These restrictions will remain in place until further notice from local and/or state authorities.

There are currently 676 firefighting personnel assigned to battle the Slide Fire and a total of $8 million has been spent on firefighting efforts, according to officials.

On Thursday, the fire crews were focused on all areas of the fire perimeter and say they will continue chipping, patrol and rehabilitation in the area affected by the fire. However, at 55 percent containment, fire officials warn residents and visitors that internal areas of yet unburned fuels may continue to smolder and are expected to produce light to moderate smoke in the vicinity.

For those living around or visiting the Oak Creek Canyon area, several road closures remain in effect as of Thursday evening.

Closed roads include: Highway 89A from Sedona to Vista Overlook; Forest Road (FR) 535 at Highway 89A; FR 533 at Highway 89A, FR 231 at Rogers Lake; FR 527 and 530 (west side of the Volunteer Canyon area); and all of Casner Mountain is closed to all vehicles.

As of Wednesday, hundreds of residents and visitors to the area were under mandatory evacuation orders, as the fire was considered a threat to over 300 structures including private homes and vacation cabins.

However, fire officials posted an evacuation update early on Thursday. According to this update, as of 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, the Coconino County Sheriff's Office announced its plan to re-open US 89A at Slide Rock State Park for residents only. Coconino County authorities warn that only verified residents will be allowed past the roadblock that is currently in place.

Fire officials have revealed that the Slide Fire wildfire was human-caused, but the exact scenario that led to this massive blaze is still under investigation.

Stay tuned for the latest news and updates on this fire and others in the area, which will be posted as soon as additional information is made available by authorities.

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