Good Monday morning, Arizona!
We're staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for August 11; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
From Meteorologist Jorge Torres - Hot start to the week
Extreme heat holds on across the Valley through tomorrow. This afternoon's high will soar to 111º, with overnight lows only dropping into the upper 80s. Tomorrow will be just as hot, again topping out at 111º.
Evacuations in place as Billy Fire grows to 12,000 acres
The Billy Fire continues to burn in the Sierra Ancha Mountains, and several areas are under evacuation orders.
Murphy Ranch and Ellison Ranch are in “GO” status, while Elk’s Camp, Trachta Ranch, Circle Ranch, Johnson Ranch, and Cook Ranch are in “SET” status, meaning residents should be ready to leave.
A community meeting is planned for Monday at 4 p.m. at the Pleasant Valley Community Center to update residents on firefighting efforts.
1-year-old dies after being pulled from Goodyear backyard pool
Goodyear fire officials say a one-year-old boy has died after being pulled from a backyard pool Sunday afternoon.
Fire crews responded to the area of Dysart Road and Van Buren Street for a drowning.
Officials say the boy was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
Safety improvements are planned for the future of the tunnel and the I-10 corridor in the Valley
The Deck Park Tunnel, which closed the final mile of Interstate 10 connecting Santa Monica, California, to Jacksonville, Florida, marked its 35th anniversary this weekend.
The tunnel, which opened on August 10, 1990, now sees 200,000 vehicles pass through it daily while supporting a vibrant park space above.
"It was the golden spike. You had two highways on either side, and it was the deck park tunnel that connected those," Marshall Shore, Arizona historian, said.
What many drivers experience as a traffic slowdown area is actually an engineering marvel. The tunnel not only completed the interstate connection but created valuable community space in downtown Phoenix.
In recent years, the Arizona Department of Transportation upgraded the lighting to improve visibility for drivers and renamed the tunnel to honor late ADOT engineer Dean Lindsey, who played a crucial role in securing funding and overseeing construction of the project.
Looking ahead, more changes are coming to this heavily traveled section of I-10.
Deadly wrong-way crash on Loop 202 near Priest Drive
One person was killed in a wrong-way crash overnight along Loop 202 Red Mountain near Priest Drive.
Arizona Department of Public Safety officials say the collision involved multiple vehicles in the westbound lanes.
The freeway is shut down at Center Parkway with no estimated time of reopening.
