Utah Wildfires In 2019: The Latest On Fires Burning Across The State - KUER 90.1

Updated 3:50 p.m. MDT 8/30/19:

The 150-acre Gun Range Fire has burned three homes in Bountiful, leading local officials to implement evacuation orders for hundreds of residents.

Evacuation orders in Centerville were lifted this morning, but Bountiful’s orders are still in effect.

The fire started Thursday night. Its cause is still being investigated.

The Goose Point Fire, which broke out Aug. 21 on West Mountain between Payson and Utah Lake, is currently the largest burning fire in the state. As of Aug. 23, the fire had burned nearly 9,000 acres and was 90% contained.

#GoosePointFire has reached 90% containment and is 8,908 acres. pic.twitter.com/kVUeInbR2m

— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) August 23, 2019

Manti-La Sal National Forest officials took over management of the Peavine Canyon and Poison Canyon fires on Aug.18. They assumed full control from an incident management team, which had overseen the fires since they began in late July to clear out decades of accumulated debris.

“We accomplished several years’ worth of work in one month,” Incident Commander John Shaffer said, referring to the amount of time it would have taken firefighters to achieve the same results using prescribed burns and mechanical treatments.

So far, this fire season has been mild, thanks to heavy precipitation this past winter and spring.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t risk. According to Jason Curry, a spokesperson for Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, thunderstorms bring high winds and dry lightning and could pose additional fire management challenges. In fact, a lightning storm sparked more than 30 fires in Box Elder County on Aug. 4. The majority of those were put out within hours, although some burned for multiple days.

Utah Wildfire Info and Inciweb are currently tracking a total of eight fires across the state — four of which are larger than 1,000 acres.

The Goose Point Fire, just north of Beaver, began on Aug. 22 and was likely caused by machinery. The blaze expanded from several hundred acres to 6,500 acres within 24 hours and reached a maximum size of 8,908 acres. It is now 90% contained.

The Little Bear Fire, located about 7 miles southeast of Hatch, has been burning since July 26. Officials report that the fire was started by lightning or natural causes. It has grown to roughly 2,145 acres and is 27% contained.

According to Rosann Fillmore, spokeswoman for the Manti-La Sal National Forest, this the latest information on the following fires in Southeast Utah.

The lightning-caused Peavine Canyon Fire in Southeast Utah continues to burn roughly 22 miles west of Blanding. The blaze began on July 16 and has burned 3,904 acres. It is 90% contained as of this update.

The Poison Canyon Fire was induced by lightning on July 26. The fire has burned 1,520 acres some 22 miles northwest of Monticello and is considered 85 to 90% contained.

See the latest active wildfires and projects map from Utah Wildfire Info below.

Source: Utah Wildfire Info (utahfireinfo.gov)

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