Work to clear forest likely sparked wildfire - officials

摘要

An excavator used to clear out parts of a northern Arizona forest to help prevent wildfires struck a rock, likely sparking a blaze that forced the evacuation of two dozen homes this summer, authorities said yesterday. The excavator was working on steep slopes near Flagstaff in late July when it hit a rock, creating a heat source that stayed underground for more than half a day, the Coconino National Forest said. Warm and windy conditions transformed it into a small fire the next morning that burned for three weeks.