at 5:36 p.m. mst (23:36 utc) on june 28, 2013, dry lightning ignited a wildfire on bureau of land management lands near yarnell, arizona, a town of approximately 700 residents located about northwest of phoenix. on june 30, strong winds reaching more than pushed the fire from to over . a long-term drought affecting the area contributed to the fire's rapid spread and erratic behavior, as did temperatures of .