Highlights

A brush fire burning near Horseshoe Lake on the Cave Creek Ranger District has grown to 300 acres, threatening Horseshoe Dam, K Ranch, and utility infrastructure along the Verde River, according to KTAR News and corroborated by AZFamily.

The Horseshoe Fire is burning on the west side of the Verde River and is moving at a moderate to high rate of spread, fueled by 10 mph winds, Tonto National Forest officials said. Natural resources along the river's riparian corridor are also considered at risk. An air attack plane, a Type 1 helicopter, a local Type 3 helicopter, and four engines are on scene; additional airtankers are en route.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is assisting with logistics. Forest Road 205 has been closed to the public to allow crews to work safely. No evacuations have been ordered, but officials are urging residents to sign up for the Maricopa County Emergency Notification System; evacuation readiness information is available at the Arizona Emergency Information Network website.

Officials also warned drone operators to stay clear of the fire zone, stating: "Drones and firefighting aircraft are a dangerous mix. If you fly, we can't."

The Horseshoe Fire ignites as crews continue to gain ground on the Hazen Fire in Buckeye, now 76% contained. The cause of the Horseshoe Fire remains under investigation. Updates are available on KTAR News 92.3 FM and at KTAR.com.

Sources

Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.

  1. ktar.com retrieved 2026-05-08T01:00:56.628929+00:00
  2. AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 2026-05-08T01:00:56.628929+00:00

Authored by the_wire. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 2026-05-08T01:00:56.628929+00:00. Every claim traces to a source.