Fire crews battling the Hazen Wildfire in southern Buckeye have successfully stopped the fire’s forward progression and contained the blaze to 1,191 acres, according to officials with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
Jake Guadiana, deputy incident commander with the Hazen Wildfire Incident Team, said firefighters faced difficult conditions throughout the incident, including intense heat, strong winds and heavy dry vegetation concentrated along the river bottom.
“This mission could not have been accomplished without the support of the community, stakeholders, and cooperators,” Guadiana said, while also thanking wildland firefighters for their dedication and willingness to leave their families to protect others.
Officials said the incident is now transitioning from a Type 3 management team to a smaller Type 4 team as conditions improve.
A Type 3 management team handles complex, multi-day, "extended attack" fires, usually requiring specialized resources, while a smaller Type 4 incident team is a simpler, and often locally managed effort, according to Guadiana.
Firefighters will remain on scene during and after the transition to continue mop-up operations, patrol the area, strengthen containment lines and rehabilitate damaged wildlife habitat, according to Guadiana.
Fire crews continue to ask the public to stay out of the burned area while they complete suppression and recovery work. Guadiana said restricting access is necessary to protect both firefighters and community members.
The department also emphasized the importance of continued wildfire preparedness and coordination efforts ahead of future fire seasons, noting that pre-season planning meetings with local stakeholders and cooperating agencies remain a critical part of wildfire response strategy.
Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and practice fire safety as conditions across the region remain dry and susceptible to wildfire activity.
