[AlexW]

"even with landing lights the green and red wing lights would be lit."

Yes, but seen only close range.
The landing lights are amazingly bright, even from 50 miles away.
The farther away they are, the more one gets the impression that they are UFOs.

[Central Scrutiniser]

Yes, but the landing lights would not be on due S. of PHX.

I was in a plane that night, we came in E to W.

Landing pattern would have been over Scottsdale from the east, over Mesa from the due east, over S. Phoenix and turning over Mesa from the West, over N. Phoenix, turning over Scottsdale then Mesa, from the North, and from the South, turning over Mesa, due west to land.

It was flares. Had nothing been reported, all the other reports would have never seen the light of day.