Some allowed home as Jones Fire near Wickenburg remains uncontained at 84 acres

• A brush fire in Wickenburg forced home and school evacuations.
• The Jones Fire was estimated at 84 acres with zero containment reported as of May 12.
• Some evacuation orders remained in place, while U.S. Highway 60 was partially reopened.

A Wickenburg brush fire that forced home and school evacuations and a highway closure remained in its footprint along the Hassayampa river overnight, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire.

Crews worked the morning of May 12 to strengthen an established containment line, the department said.

The department downsized its acreage estimate from 100 acres to 84 after completing more accurate mapping and reported that U.S. Highway 60 was partially open as crews continued to work alongside the roadway.

"The fire remained in its footprint, meaning it didn't really move around" the previous evening, said department spokesperson Tiffany Davila at a morning news conference on May 12.

She said there was no additional growth to the fire to report.

Still, the department reported no containment on the fire and warned that flareups in the fire’s interior remained possible as temperatures climbed through the day.

Some 125 firefighters remained assigned to the Jones Fire, including four state hand crews, engines, water tenders and a dozer, according to the department. Aircraft remained on call.

"We're not flying any aircraft as of yet, but that doesn't mean we don't have it available to us," Davila said.

Georgi Donchetz, regional communications director for American Red Cross of Arizona & New Mexico, said more than 40 meals were served at the Wickenburg High School fire evacuation center Monday night, and one family needed to stay the night because they couldn't go home.

The evacuation center was open 90 minutes after the order went out because a volunteer was nearby and didn't get caught in the traffic jam, she said.

Overnight, firefighters focused on the southeast and southwest sides of the fire and worked to cool hot spots along the fire’s edge, the department said.

Residents along South Kerkes Street remained under an evacuation order from Maricopa County Emergency Management, while others who had been ordered to evacuate on May 11 were allowed to return home but were advised to be ready to go if again ordered to leave. Those in "set" status were advised to keep critical belongings and documents at the ready.

The Red Cross continued to maintain a shelter for evacuees at Wickenburg High School near Val Vista Drive and Vulture Mine Road.

A cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

A fire investigator was working in the Hassayampa river bottom trying to determine a cause, Davila said.

(This story has been updated to add more information.)