Fire Nearly Out, Many Return to Reservation

Thousands of residents of an American Indian reservation charred by wildfire began returning to their homes Friday, two days after the flames nearly reached their community.

About 5,000 people were forced Monday to evacuate Whiteriver, on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona, as the lightning-sparked fire approached the town. It came within a quarter-mile of some homes before firefighters ringed the blaze with firebreaks. No homes were damaged.

“We’re so thankful to God that our house is still standing,” said Ellen Stewart, 69, a missionary who spent Friday morning unloading a mattress, blankets and other items from her station wagon.

In a nearby subdivision, Fred Naranjo, 21, and his wife, Netanya Johnson, 20, were looking over their own home.

“I missed being home, a home-cooked meal,” said Naranjo, who was in New Mexico when the evacuations were ordered and was unable to go home to retrieve anything.

Although they have a line around the more than 20,100-acre blaze, firefighters won’t consider it officially contained until there is enough rainfall to cool the flames, firefighters spokesman Wendell Peacock said.

“We’re pretty confident the fire will stay within the perimeter,” said Larry Humphrey, commander of the firefighting team.

The blaze was among about 40 large, active wildfires burning around the West on Friday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

In Washington state, two brush fires flared near a subdivision in suburban Seattle, and nearby residents were told to be ready to evacuate, fire and police officials said. No evacuations were ordered, and firefighters had the upper hand by Friday evening.

Firefighters in Wyoming were trying to contain fires in three corners of the state, including three fires in Yellowstone National Park. Only one trail in the park had been closed Friday, but officials have banned smoking and backcountry campfires until further notice.

Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado has been closed since Tuesday because of a fire reported at 2,000 acres Friday.

There were no reports of structures or ruins at Mesa Verde being threatened.