Author: Donovan Quintero

Darlene, who only wanted to share her first name, evacuated with her grandchildren, two of whom have asthma, and several small pets, including rabbits and chihuahuas. After three nights at the Ganado Field House shelter, she said they were told to leave.

Whether the welcome rains made a difference or not, the fire was 6% contained and had burned 10,623 acres as of Thursday.

What started as a thin column of smoke rising from the high desert on a quiet Saturday afternoon has evolved into a full-scale wildfire that has scorched over 10,623 acres of land on the Navajo Nation, just four miles south of Arizona State Highway 264, west of Window Rock.

As the Oak Ridge Fire continues to burn across northeastern Arizona, Navajo Nation communities and nearby towns are stepping up with donation drives, public meetings, and relief efforts to support families displaced by the wildfire.

The fire continued its unrelenting spread has burned 9,846 acres. With zero percent containment reported, officials now hope incoming monsoon rains might slow the wildfire’s advance and bring relief to exhausted crews and displaced residents.