Winds Driving Arizona Blaze Abate, Sparing Desert Town

Winds that had been driving a desert brush fire toward a small town died down Sunday night, sparing homes from the blaze and allowing firefighters to get the upper hand.

About 500 firefighters labored in 110-degree heat earlier in the day to head off the blaze, which had burned across at least 14,000 acres since it began Friday and barely missed a golf course and several million-dollar homes Saturday. Winds up to 15 m.p.h. eased late Sunday, and crews were able to dig fire lines to keep the blaze from getting closer than about two miles to Fountain Hills, a town of about 20,000 people, many of them retirees, built around an artificial lake northeast of this Phoenix suburb.

No evacuations had been ordered.

Full containment of the fire was expected tonight, a day earlier than previously thought, said Dave Killebrew, a spokesman for the various city and state agencies fighting the blaze.

Seven tanker planes dropped water and slurry to help firefighters on the ground.

Lightning was believed to have started the fire Friday night in the McDowell Mountains. Winds blowing up to 40 m.p.h. drove the flames down onto the desert in the northern part of this city of 150,000.

About 300 luxury homes were evacuated late Friday, most clustered near the exclusive Troon Golf and Country Club. Most residents were allowed to return Saturday afternoon after the winds eased.

Three firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion.

The only structural damage reported was to an unoccupied horse trailer.