Residents in sections of Maricopa County, Arizona – the state’s most populous area, including Phoenix – have been advised to evacuate due to the imminent threat posed by the Boulder View Fire.

An evacuation order was issued Thursday night by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management for residents on the southeast side of the fire. According to the US Forest Service’s InciWeb alert system, around 50 structures are at risk. Maricopa County, with a population of about 4.5 million, faces a serious threat from the fast-spreading wildfire.

The fire ignited on Thursday and rapidly expanded to 2,500 acres by the end of the day, with containment efforts showing no progress. Strong winds, high temperatures, and dry conditions have exacerbated the fire, complicating containment, as noted by InciWeb.

This wildfire emerges amid a summer characterized by extreme heat across the nation, the deadliest type of weather globally. The rising frequency and severity of such heatwaves are linked to climate change driven by fossil fuel emissions, creating conditions that favor wildfires.

As the fire’s activity surged late Thursday, officials reassigned firefighting crews to the southeast side to protect at-risk structures. Besides homes, the wildfire threatens high voltage power lines and the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, according to InciWeb.

“The fire is burning through grass and brush and has moved from private land into the Tonto National Forest,” authorities reported, adding that nearly 180 personnel have been mobilized to fight the blaze.

The situation remains critical, and residents in the affected areas are urged to comply with evacuation orders and stay updated through official sources. The primary focus is on ensuring community safety and protecting property and natural resources as firefighting efforts continue.