A huge forest fire in the southwestern US state of Arizona has destroyed around 94,000 hectares (230,000 acres) of forest, and forced some 2,500 people in rural communities to evacuate as firefighters battled the blaze.
There are no reports of casualties from the fire, but the third largest blaze in the state's history was nowhere near containment Tuesday, with high winds and low humidity fueling the inferno expected to continue for days.
Governor Jan Brewer on Monday signed a declaration of emergency in response to the wildfires, with her office saying the action released $200,000 from the Governor's Emergency Funds to pay emergency responses and recovery expenses.
Over 2,500 firefighting personnel were battling the blaze, backed by 22 helicopters with equipment to douse the inferno with water were brought in to help in the battle, officials and local media said.
A huge smoke cloud from the fire was meanwhile billowing over the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest about 185 miles (300 kilometers) northeast of Phoenix, near the Arizona-New Mexico border.
Firefighters said the blaze, which began Saturday, was largely out of control.
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