The Watch Fire has burned 2,162 acres, destroying at least 13 homes since it began on Thursday, according to a Sunday news release from the Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team.
The fire remains at 0% containment. Officials are investigating possible arson as a cause for the fire.
Firefighters have been working between China Town and Peridot Heights to clean up piles of burned vegetation and eliminate hot spots, the news release stated. Crews are also working to eliminate hot spots around private structures near Jurassic Park.
Railroad and electric company officials began work to repair infrastructure damaged during the fire.
'We'll get through':San Carlos Apache Tribe left reeling as Watch Fire destroys homes
The fire was reported July 11 around 11 p.m. near the San Carlos Apache reservation.
Firefighters responded quickly, but high monsoon winds blew the flames through downtown San Carlos toward residents on the reservation. On Friday, the fire had reached 1,115 acres, and officials reported Saturday the increase in acreage between Friday and Saturday was due to successful 1,000-acre burnout operations.
The San Carlos Apache Tribe declared a state of emergency on Saturday, and residents were advised to evacuate to nearby shelters at San Carlos High School, the Apache Gold Casino and Resort and the Michael Noline Peridot Activity Center.
The report stated at least 75 people were left homeless and 400 had been forced to evacuate due to the fire, which the release called the most serious structural fire on the reservation in 30 years.
Peridot Siding Road from Again Bridge remains closed. At 1:30 p.m. Sunday, the Tribal Emergency Response Commission changed the evacuation status from "GO" to "SET" for the communities of Lower 7 Miles and New Moon Base, meaning people in those communities should stay alert and be ready to evacuate if necessary.
The remaining community of San Carlos should also be ready to evacuate at any notice, the update stated.
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