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SALT LAKE CITY — Crews are fighting a new wildfire that has burned about 400 acres in Emery County.
The Lighthouse Fire started around 3 p.m. Wednesday in Range Creek Canyon. The fire is threatening historic Indian artifacts and wildlife habitats that have been preserved in the canyon.
Rough terrain is making the fire difficult to fight.
Jason Curry of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands said, "(It's) pretty steep, rugged country with a lot of very narrow canyons. We do have ground crews there, but our aviation sources are also going to come into play. We've got several aircraft working the fire as well and making more of our progress using the aircraft."
The cause of the Lighthouse Fire is under investigation. Curry says no campfires were burning in the area, and lightning likely is not a factor because no storms hit in the last 24 hours.
"The series of storms that we've had have helped in terms of gaining containment of the active fires around the state, but it doesn't take much to quickly dry out. The vegetation is already dry," Curry said.
This latest fire is just another reminder to use caution headed into the 24th of July holiday, and pay attention to the fire and firework restrictions around the state. Find a list of those here.
