BISBEE, Ariz. (KGUN) — The residents of Bisbee are no stranger to the danger of wildfires.
"There have been several fires that I've lived through, none that have come close to our home, but we can watch. We can watch them from our yard," said resident, Danielle Bouchever.
Since March, there have been five fires in Bisbee. All are under investigation.
"Typically we average 2 to 3 fires a year. We've already exceeded that in the last couple of months," said Bisbee Fire Department Lieutenant, Robert Cline.
The Locklin Fire has grown to 106 acres. It's 30% contained. Evacuated residents are allowed to return home.
"We're going to have people watching the fire overnight to make sure the homeowners in the area feel comfortable," said Corey Guerin with Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
Looking ahead, firefighters are most worried about strong winds.
"Right now, they're dealing with possible red flag warnings tomorrow. We also have strong winds, gusts up to 30, 35 MPH tomorrow. That's definitely going to challenge the crews," said Guerin.
Bouchever has already created a defensible space around her home. It's something she has encouraged her neighbors to do in order to stay safe.
"It's important to make sure that your community is aware of what is going on at any given moment, that we are all communicating, sharing resources and helping each other out when needed," said Bouchever.
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Perla Shaheen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Perla graduated in May 2020 from the University of California, Berkeley, where she majored in Political Science. Share your story ideas and important issues with Perla by emailing perla.shaheen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
