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BRIAN HEAD, Iron County — Brian Head is preparing to open its doors after being evacuated for nearly two weeks due to a wildfire now covering 90 square miles.
The town's evacuation order is scheduled to be lifted at 7 a.m. Friday. Firefighters will continue patrolling the outskirts of the fire and around the communities to respond to residents' concerns, incident managers said in a Thursday night news release.
Earlier Thursday, service trucks were allowed into the area to bring supplies and food to restaurants and stores. Town Manager Bret Howser said power had been restored, but phone and internet service may not be available.
For now, Brian Head can only be accessed from state Route 148.
Evacuation orders also were lifted Thursday for residents of Panguitch Lake and Mammoth Creek.
It was a sigh of relief for Ernie and Eloise Doron, of Arizona, who returned to their Mammoth Creek Cabin Thursday with their dog.
"It feels good," Ernie Doron said. "Every day we'd just watch the news and hope."
Residents of the Dry Lakes community will be allowed to return Friday, but evacuation orders remain in effect for Upper Bear Valley, Horse Valley, Beaver Dam, Castle Valley, Blue Springs, Rainbow Meadows and Second Left Hand Canyon.
Officers were enforcing current closures, incident managers said Thursday, warning that violators may be cited.
More good news for the town and 1,800 firefighters came Thursday morning when an anticipated red-flag warning was dropped because conditions were calmer than expected.
As of late Thursday, the human-caused Brian Head Fire had burned more than 58,000 acres and was 20 percent contained.
More than 300,000 gallons of water were dropped over the fire on Thursday to help slow its progression. Firefighters reported good progress on the southern flank of the fire and planned to focus on the northern edge Friday, where the blaze still was threatening to grow.
On Wednesday, some of the 911 calls placed to emergency dispatchers reporting the start of the fire were released, giving a picture of the blaze before it became the largest in the nation and torching 13 homes.
A caller on June 17 told a dispatcher the blaze was getting out of control, igniting a 50-by-50-foot area of aspen and pine trees.
A shuttle driver also called, saying someone in Parowan Canyon was burning off shrub around a cabin and urging the dispatcher to send an officer to "talk to this landowner before he burns down Brian Head."
Contributing: Nicole Vowell
