The Rose Fire destroyed multiple structures after forcing officials to close U.S. 60, which connected the town of Wickenburg to Phoenix, as dangerously hot temperatures continue in Arizona this week. 

Officials with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said the Rose Fire started on Wednesday about 4 miles south of Wickenburg on the east side of U.S. 60.

Windy, hot and dry conditions helped the fire grow from less than 10 acres to more than 160 acres, prompting evacuations for the Rio Vista Hills community.

The fire jumped the highway and continues to burn on both sides of U.S. 60. 

The fire destroyed at least six structures, and approximately 25 homes are still threatened by the Rose Fire. FOX 10 Phoenix reports that about 100 homes were initially threatened on Wednesday.

All evacuation orders have been lifted and residents were allowed to return home as of Thursday morning. 

On Thursday, officials with the Arizona Department of Forestry said overnight cooler temperatures and increasing humidity helped decrease fire activity and kept it from growing. 

The fire is still estimated to be 150 acres with no containment.

Additional resources, including hotshot crews and engines, are arriving on Thursday.

Officials said U.S. 60 remains closed in both directions outside Wickenburg as the fire continues to burn on both sides of the highway.

Downed power lines across the highway create additional dangers for vehicles.

The fire closed the quickest route to and from Phoenix on U.S. 60 near Morristown and south of Wickenburg.

Traffic is being rerouted to Interstate 10 to circumvent the closure, increasing the typically one-hour commute by about 30 minutes. 

Arizona Department of Transportation officials recommend travelers from Phoenix traveling to or from northwest Arizona and Las Vegas should use interstates 17, 40 or 10 and State Road 95 as alternate routes. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Dangerous heat bakes Arizona

Firefighters battling the Rose Fire have faced extreme weather conditions.

Excessive Heat Warnings are in effect for five states across the West, including Arizona and California.

Dangerously hot temperatures between 106 and 112 degrees are forecast across southwestern and southern Arizona. 

Phoenix and most of southern Arizona remain under an Excessive Heat Warning through Sunday night.

Wickenburg is included in the warning, and temperatures are forecast to hit 104 on Friday. 

Arizona State football head coach Kenny Dillingham had a special delivery for his players during practice on Tuesday. With the highly anticipated release of EA Sports’ College Football 2025, Dillingham was able to get four special edition covers of the videogame.

Players were eager to obtain a copy of the highly anticipated game that is about to release. However, it came with the price of doing planks. The last four players planking would win a copy.

HA got em 🤣

Safe to say the anticipation for @EASPORTSCollege is high🔥#ForksUp /// #ActivateTheValley pic.twitter.com/Y9SMY9CHvv

— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) June 12, 2024

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In a competitive battle, players of all positions fought tooth and nail to claim the prize. While it was gritty toward the end, the four players who ended up lasting the longest in the plank session ended up taking home a copy.

Or so they thought.

Dillingham gathered his players to cheer on the fantastic four winners as they opened up the cover package with much excitement — only to find that it was a copy of the “A Goofy Movie.”

“Gawrsh.”

While they fought gallantly in hopes of turning on their game console and playing College Football 2025 after practice, at least they’ll get a chance to kick back and relax to a nice movie.

After the surprising selection of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall, Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said he tried to move back into the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Days later, video surfaced of the Falcons attempting a trade with the New York Jets to grab pick No. 10, an effort that ultimately went unrewarded.

But evidently, Fontenot kept trying.

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The Arizona Cardinals, who owned the 27th selection in the opening frame, released footage Tuesday as a part of the series “Flight Plan” from inside their war room on draft night.

Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort answered a call from Fontenot before Arizona selected defensive lineman Darius Robinson.

“Hey Terry, we’re going to pick a player,” Ossenfort said on the call. “Unless we get totally busted here over the next three picks, Terry, we’re going to probably pick.”

Following the draft’s second night, during which the Falcons selected defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro and edge rusher Bralen Trice, Fontenot revisited Atlanta’s first round trade-up efforts and revealed there were multiple pass rushers he had in mind.

The trades ultimately didn’t materialize, but it wasn’t without effort from Fontenot and staff.

“We were really trying to do it,” Fontenot said. “We called every team from starting at nine all the way down to 32. And we were really aggressive in doing it. We felt there were times we were close. We made some pretty big offers.

“We got into some deeper conversations with some teams. It obviously didn’t work out, but we were aggressive.”

Fontenot added Atlanta had interest in other players outside of the defensive line group, but addressing pass rush was certainly a priority. Nonetheless, Fontenot said he and head coach Raheem Morris were “still excited” about how the situation unfolded.

During OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Orhorhoro and Trice each spent time working with the second-team defensive line. How their futures fare will ultimately dictate whether the Falcons dodged a draft-day bullet or will look back with remorse.

Regardless, the cards fell how they did – though Fontenot tried to make them unfold differently.