Hundreds evacuated

by Kathleen Stinson

DESERT FOOTHILLS – Hundreds of campers were strongly advised Monday morning to evacuate the area near Bartlett Lake, according to county officials.

The Maricopa County Department of Transportation closed Bartlett Damn Road because rainstorms over the weekend caused substantial damage to the roadway, which crews were not able to adequately repair, said Roger Ball, spokesman for the department.

“We sent crews out to repair the road, but it would just wash away again,” Ball said.    

Wildfires last year changed the normal runoff channels in the area considerably, Ball explained. As a result, heavy rains are causing extensive damage to the roadway.

County officials were concerned that another storm would leave campers stranded with no way to get out of the area.

Sgt. Jim Kempher of  the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said deputies evacuated hundreds of campers Monday morning and documented the names of those who chose to remain.

The road will be closed for another two to three days, Kempher said Tuesday.

In addition, the storms left more than 1,000 Foothills residents without power on Labor Day, Arizona Public Service Co. reported.

For approximately three hours Monday, 1,427 customers were without electricity while crews replaced an insulator, said APS spokesman Rufus Coleman. The damage was caused by previous storms over the Monsoon season.

The outage occurred in the area extending from Photoview Road to Rockaway Hills Drive and from 24th Street to Coyote Pass Road, Coleman said.

Reach the reporter at kathleen@thedesertadvocate.com.