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SALT LAKE CITY — Wildfire season is beginning in earnest in Utah with dry conditions and high temperatures, and there are several notable fires currently ablaze across the state.
Here are the most significant fires currently active or nearing completion:
Mt. Emma Fire
As of 8:30 p.m. Saturday, this lightning-caused fire located 75 miles south of St. George is roughly 3,500 acres in size. The fire began June 24 at 4:40 p.m. on the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, according to fire staff from the Bureau of Land Management Arizona Strip District.
Multiple resources have been committed to this large fire, including an air tanker and air attack.
“Saturday’s heat resulted in growth in the late afternoon,” said BLM Arizona Strip District Public Affairs officer Rachel Carnahan. “We’d like to ask for the public’s help in ensuring firefighter safety and request that all traffic near the area slow down and remain mindful of increased traffic on the roads en route to the Mt. Emma fire.”
Related:
Utah prepares for 'above-normal' wildfire season
Moisture helped Utah's wildfire forecast this spring, while much of the West can expect an above-normal fire year, according to fire forecasters. (Photo: Stuart Johnson/KSL-TV)Poison Fire
It is suspected this is a human-caused fire. It began Saturday, and the fire ranges roughly 5.7 acres, according to Utah Fire Info. A 75 percent containment had been reached as of late Saturday night with a perimeter established.
Memorial Fire
Located three miles southwest of Dutch John, Utah, this fire was affecting roughly 75 acres as of June 23, per Utah Fire Info. Eighty firefighters had been assigned as of last update.
Old Woman Fire
This fire covered approximately 460 acres roughly 20 miles east of Salina, Utah, according to Utah Fire information. As of June 25, the fire was 80 percent contained and threatening no structures. Demobilization of resources began June 25.
Sand Cove Fire
First observed on June 15, this fire is located roughly 30 miles southwest of St. George in the Paiute Wilderness. As of June 22, the fire encompassed 57 acres and was being managed for multiple objectives, per the Arizona Bureau of Land Management.
