The worst of the Hazen Fire is behind us. After six days of burning through salt cedar and brush near Buckeye, the blaze that smothered the Phoenix Valley in heavy black smoke is nearing full containment.
But for hundreds of thousands of residents — especially children, the elderly, and anyone with asthma — the health story is not over yet.
Firefighters in Arizona are battling the Hazen Fire west of Phoenix. The fire has burned 980 acres and was 0% contained as of Monday morning. pic.twitter.com/W8KaoV9rAW
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) May 4, 2026
Where Things Stand This Morning
The Hazen Fire has burned 1,191 acres in Buckeye and is now 78% contained, fueled by heavy river bottom vegetation and creosote trees. This morning at 7:00 AM, the incident officially transitioned from a Type 3 Incident Management Team to a local Type 4 organization — meaning the large multi-agency firefighting response has ended and local crews are taking over final mop-up…