July 3, 2019 • Vol. 17, No. 33
POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK
www.thefoothillsfocus.com
ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
Anthem | Black Canyon City | Carefree | Cave Creek | Desert Hills | New River| North Phoenix | Tramonto | Peoria
Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical crews bolster Woodbury firefighting efforts BY TARA ALATORRE
The Woodbury Fire has burned more than 123,000 acres in the Tonto National Forest since June 8.
Photos courtesy of DMFM
New River Area Draft Plan available online now Public encouraged to comment BY TARA ALATORRE
NEW RIVER – Maricopa County has finished its New River Area Draft Plan, which is a policy document that provides guidelines for future land uses, and an implementation program that addresses local needs. Once completed the plan will apply to county land in New River, Anthem, Desert Hills and unincorporated areas of greater North Phoenix. The draft plan is available online and the comment period is open from now until July 31. Maricopa County planners and representatives held several community outreach meetings in the past year, collecting
SUPERIOR – The Woodbury Wildfire has been burning for almost one month, destroying approximately 123,000 acres of Sonoran Desert and riparian areas in the Tonto National Forest and surrounding areas. It is the fifth largest fire in the state’s history, causing evacuations near Roosevelt Lake and prompting the closure of Apache Lake, according to fire officials. Tonto National Forest officials say the rugged terrain of the Superstition Wilderness
has made it especially hard for wildland firefighters. They have been battling winds carrying the flames down steep canyon slopes, which are fueled by dried, invasive and native plants from a wet spring season. The Forest Service had over 1,000 people assigned to the Woodbury Fire when it first sparked on June 8, but now personnel has been reduced to 350 people, with the fire being de-escalated and 80 percent
WOODBURY FIRE continued on page 8
Semi-truck catches fire on Interstate 17 near New River last week
information from residents about resident’s top local concerns. The input gathered at the meetings was used by planners to create “guiding principles” while creating this draft plan. The Guiding Principles identified by county planners for the New River Area Draft Plan are: preserve and respect the rural lifestyle; support lowdensity, large-lot residential; balance responsible land use decisions with private property rights; preserve and enhance natural features and open space;
NEW RIVER PLAN story continued on page 10
Pictured: Firefighters from Daisy Mountain working to extinguish a semi-truck on the I-17 that caught fire on June 26, which was carrying two trailers. (Photo by Karen Alexander/Staff)
PHOENIX:
ANTHEM:
ANTHEM
County dog shelter holding
MTA gets a new theater,
Rocky Mountain Chocolate
'Calming the Canines' event
ribbon cutting ceremony
Factory helping troops this July
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TRUCK FIRE
STORY INSIDE ON PAGE 10
OTHER : • Bluhm Column
6
• Service Directory
15
• Classified Ads
18