Drones causing problems for firefighters battling AZ wildfire

Firefighters in Arizona say unauthorized drones are hampering efforts to fight a 25-thousand acrew wildfire.

The Goodwin Wildfire began over the weekend and is still only about one-percent contained.

"We had a drone intrusion the other day so, what we had to do, we had to shut down all the aircraft... we had to go leave the area," Battallion Chief Todd Abel said.

Abel warned that drones in the skies above the firsts are creating unsafe sitations for firefighters on the ground because helicopters can't land to bring supplies or evacuate personnel.

"I just highly recommend that the public keep those drones out of the fire area," Abel says.

Dry conditions and strong winds are helping to fuel the stubborn fire.

Some evacuation orders have been lifted but there are still significan road closures in the area.

The following communities remain under mandatory evacuation... Pine Flat, Breezy Pines, Hole in Junction, Chanucy Road, Mountain Union, Walker, Upper Blue Hills, Potato Patch, Dewey west of route 69, and Mountain Pine Acres.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.