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CNN Sunday Morning
Thousands Flee Arizona Fire
Aired June 23, 2002 - 7:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In eastern Arizona, 50-mile-long wall of flames is raging for two mountain communities. Thousands of residents are joining thousands more who have already fled the area. Vielka Atherton of CNN affiliate KTVK in Phoenix visited a shelter away from the fire lines.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a long battle. We're in it for the long term.
VIELKA ATHERTON, KTVK REPORTER (voice-over): Dozens of evacuees at Rim Country Middle School in Payson gathered around a TV set this evening to watch the latest updates on the fires, hoping for any sign of good news, others praying for a miracle.
KEVIN MCSPADDEN, EVACUEE: You don't know what to believe from anybody. I mean, one story or word of mouth, you know, it's hard to believe anything really.
ATHERTON: The McSpaddens were forced from their home Thursday with little to none of their possessions. Today, like hundreds of other evacuees from the Heber, Overgaard areas, and now Forest Lake; they're starting over with only a bag of supplies volunteers have put together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Toys...
MCSPADDEN: Toys -- toys and...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Toilet paper and...
MCSPADDEN: Yes...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... lotion and stuff that they've been...
MCSPADDEN: Mainly...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... trying to provide us...
(CROSSTALK)
ATHERTON: Payson Mayor Ken Murphy says as of late this afternoon, nearly 400 people were registered at the shelter with a number expected to grow.
MAYOR KEN MURPHY, PAYSON, ARIZONA: This is where we're bringing all the people in that come in from out of town. They check in right here at the tables, right here so that we keep an accurate list of everybody that's signed in.
ATHERTON: Murphy says the most important thing is showing the evacuees Payson hospitality, and that means a lot to folks like Brenda Larson, who on top of being evacuated, is also fighting cancer.
BRENDA LARSON, EVACUEE: Actually, everybody down here has been really awesome. I go to my treatments down here and the oncologist radiology has been really super neat, and everybody here has been fantastic.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: That report came from Vielka Atherton of our CNN affiliate KTVK in Phoenix. We thank her for that.
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