Arizona Wildfire claims 7,000 acres

July 19 (UPI) -- A wildfire in central Arizona has claimed more than 7,000 acres, officials said.

The U.S. Forest Service said Thursday that the Cellar Fire had burned 7,008 acres within the Prescott National Forest and was zero percent contained.

A total of 367 people, seven air tankers, seven helicopters and seven hotshot crews, among other resources, have been deployed to fight the fire that started Sunday when lightning struck 16 miles south of Prescott, Arizona, in the national forest.

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office issued A Code Red "Go" mandatory evacuation order Thursday for residents in the Pine Flat area while residents of Walker, Groom Creek, Wolf Creek, Potato Patch, Indian Creek and Crown King are to remain ready to evacuate if such an order is given.

A shelter was established at the Prescott High School for those needing a place to stay, the sheriff's office said.

An air tanker was deployed and was "effective" at slowing the fire's spread eastward while additional air tankers offered support to hotshot crews working on the fire in the northwest, U.S. Forest Service said.

"Firefighters continue structure protection in the Pine Flat community and the Palace Station historic site," it said.

A warm, dry weather pattern is forecast to continue, potentially leading to the fire, which has been fed by dry brush, grass and chaparral, to potentially grow and cause heavier smoke to affect surrounding areas.

Dwight D'Evelyn, public information officer of the Yavapai County sheriff's Office, reminded residents during a community meeting to be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice.

"I know we all get a little lazy -- and I know I'm guilty of thinking this too -- thinking we're never going to be the ones to get the evacuation [order] and suddenly there's a knock on the door and it's time to go and you don't have anything, your valuable papers, medicines, things like that, because it's possible once you leave you may not be able to get back in and it's something to think about," he said. "So, now's the time to prepare."