New evacuations ordered near Dollar Ridge Fire; 20-30 structures damaged or destroyed

Estimated read time: Less than a minute

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY — The Duchesne County Sheriff ordered new evacuations Tuesday afternoon due to the Dollar Ridge Fire near Fruitland, the largest of eight wildfires burning around the state.

Most of the wildfires are located in the central and southwestern parts of Utah, according to Bureau of Land Management officials. You'll find the latest updates on the wildfires below.

This story will be updated throughout the day.

Tuesday, 08:14pm

Volunteer evacuations issued in Dollar Ridge Fire

Wasatch County Sheriff's officials are issuing voluntary evacuations for the Dollar Ridge Fire in the following locations: Pine Hollow, Aspen Grove and 40 Dam Acres, located east and south of Soldier Creek Dam.

Wasatch Sheriff's office just asked us to issue a voluntary evacuation for Pine Hollow, Aspen Grove and 40 Dam Acres, located east and south of Soldier Creek Dam #DollarRidgeFire Residents and campers should prepare in case a mandatory evacuation is issued.

— Utah Emergency Mgmt (@UtahEmergency) July 4, 2018

Tuesday, 07:18pm

Updated evacuation map for for Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County

Duchesne County officials released an updated map of evacuations for residents near the Dollar Ridge Fire.

Updated evacuation map for the #DollarRidgeFire as of 6:30 p.m. pic.twitter.com/dGh2Lz2JsS

— DuchesneCoSheriff (@DuchesneSheriff) July 4, 2018

Tuesday, 05:12pm

New fire reported in Uintah County

A new fire started late Tuesday afternoon in Uintah County, Utah Fire Info reported on Facebook. The Maine Fire was only 20 acres as of 6:20 p.m. but evacuations have been issued for residents at 2500 West, both north and south of Vernal Rod and Gun Club. Eight engines are on scene from eight different city, county and federal departments.

Tuesday, 04:37pm

Evacuation ordered for Dry Fork Creek near Vernal

Evacuation orders were issued for residents near Dry Fork Creek in the Vernal area Tuesday evening due to a fire, according to Uintah Basin Communications.

Tuesday, 03:18pm

New evacuations for Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County

More residents were told to evacuate their homes as crews continue to fight the Dollar Ridge Fire near Fruitland in Duchesne County.

URGENT: New evacuations ordered due to #DollarRidgeFire pic.twitter.com/8IrVDtnBQb
— DuchesneCoSheriff (@DuchesneSheriff) July 3, 2018

Tuesday, 02:10pm

Dollar Ridge Fire (south of Fruitland, Duchesne County) threatening more structures

Gov. Gary Herbert said earlier Tuesday that an estimated 20 to 30 structures were damaged or destroyed by the Dollar Ridge Fire. Now authorities say new structures are being threatened by the fire near Currant Mountain in Duchesne County as the fire moves to the north and the east. It's unclear how many structures are being threatened, but high winds have hindered air operations. Air crews were grounded briefly, but air tankers have since returned to fighting the fire. The human-caused fire has already burned about 30,000 acres since it started Sunday.

The #dollarridgefire is impacting structures on the north side of the fire near Currant Mtn
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 3, 2018

On the #DollarRidgeFire, air tankers are now back, dropping retardant and the Utah National Guard Blackhawk Helicopters.
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 3, 2018

All aircraft have been forced to land due to high winds and unstable air on the #DollarRidgeFire ... Fire is actively moving to the north and east
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 3, 2018

Tuesday, 01:55pm

Where people can bring their pets, livestock evacuated by Dollar Ridge Fire

People with pets or livestock who were evacuated because of the Dollar Ridge Fire are being encouraged to bring their animals to the Duchesne County Centennial Center at the fairgrounds in Duchesne, according to authorities. Duchesne County Sheriff's officials said people should call 435-671-3625 to arrange a drop off beforehand. Water dishes and bowls are also needed. People who have taken stray animals or livestock from the evacuation area is also being asked to call the sheriff’s office at 435-738-2015 with a description of the animals taken. More information can be found here.

Tuesday, 05:03pm

Authorities urge caution for drivers on US 40 due to Dollar Ridge Fire (near Fruitland, Duchesne County)

Department of Public Safety officials are urging motorists to use caution on U.S. 40 because of the Dollar Ridge Fire burning south of Fruitland in Duchesne County. The agency tweeted that the fire is causing limited visibility on the highway and that motorists should slow down, use their headlights and watch out for fire crews.

Due to wildfires, areas on SR-40 have limited visibility. You are urged to slow down, drive with headlights on and watch out for fire crews on the sides of the road. Please do not stop or pull over to watch the fire or add to the already dangerous and congested road conditions.
— Utah Public Safety (@UtahDPS) July 3, 2018

Tuesday, 01:30pm

Afternoon update on West Valley Fire (near New Harmony, Washington County)

No cities immediately threatened by West Valley Fire in southwestern Utah Tuesday afternoon.

As expected during today's red flag warning, high fire behavior today on the #WestValleyFire. Still no evacuations or cities immediately threatened. pic.twitter.com/swGnbRGzzS
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 3, 2018

Tuesday, 12:52pm

Noon update on West Valley Fire (near New Harmony, Washington County)

A fire burning in southwestern Utah remains at 5 percent contained Tuesday, according to Bureau of Land Management officials. The West Valley Fire has burned 10,836 acres since it started Air support crews were dropping retardant and water on the fire Tuesday in areas most at risk and in areas where crews believe they can slow the fire from progressing, officials added. Officials said they believe the fire was started by an abandoned campfire.

Tuesday, 09:46am

Herbert: Estimated 20-30 structures damaged or destroyed by Dollar Ridge Fire

Gov. Gary Herbert visited the Dollar Ridge Fire incident management station Tuesday and with families who were evacuated by the massive fire burning in eastern Utah.About 200 homes have been evacuated because of the fire and roughly 30 people were at the shelter Tuesday, officials said.“I’m impressed that they’re in good spirits,” Herbert said of that meeting. “They appreciate that we’ve had a lot of volunteers. People have stepped up and shown concern for their loss and their inconvenience. That’s sort of the hallmark of Utah, we really step up and help our neighbors.”Herbert said it’s estimated that 20 to 30 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the approximate 30,000-acre fire, though an official number isn’t known.A Type I incident team joined the firefighting efforts Tuesday. Herbert said much of the plan was to contain the fire as much as possible near other structures threatened by the fire.Anyone looking to donate to families evacuated because of the fire can do so by calling the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767 or redcross.org.

Governor Gary Herbert receives a briefing on the #DollarRidgeFire media availability for the governor at the Duchesne County Fairgrounds beginning at about 12:15 today. @UtahGov @GovHerbert pic.twitter.com/MXS6fH7dmB
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 3, 2018

Tuesday, 09:30am

Gov. Herbert to visit Dollar Ridge Fire site (near Fruitland, Duchesne County)

Gov. Gary Herbert is slated to visit the Dollar Ridge Fire incident command center before a visit to the Duchesne High School shelter site at noon, according to Herbert's office. Meanwhile, Duchesne County sheriff's officials tweeted a new map of evacuations from the fire.

NEW: Updated maps of the areas evacuated due to the #DollarRidgeFire. This is a mandatory evacuation. Do not enter these areas. pic.twitter.com/S7nlu5z9I9
— DuchesneCoSheriff (@DuchesneSheriff) July 3, 2018

Tuesday, 08:50am

Crews continue to battle 'extreme' Dollar Ridge Fire near Fruitland in Duchesne County

A Type 1 team was called in Tuesday morning to help battle the fast-moving, human-caused Dollar Ridge Fire east of Strawberry Reservoir. A Type 1 team means more resources will be arriving by Tuesday night to help battle what is currently the state's highest priority wildfire. An unknown number of structures have burned, more than 100 cabins and structures are threatened and up to 300 remain evacuated. "We do know that there have been some structures that have been lost. We don't know if they're homes, or outbuildings or what," Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands spokesman Jason Curry said Tuesday morning. Officials won't have an exact count of structures lost until the fire dies down and crews can get into the area to look, he added. The Duchesne County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that based on mapping tools, including infrared data overnight, they believed the Dollar Fire had burned about 19,000 acres. But Curry said firefighters were sticking with their estimate of 30,000 acres burned. "We're fairly confident with that number," he said. As of 8 a.m., the fire was 0 percent contained.

A unique view of the #DollarRidgeFire near Strawberry Reservoir. Photo taken from 30,000 feet by Mark Milligan of the @utahgeological survey. pic.twitter.com/B78x6wxH00
— Utah DNR (@UtahDNR) July 2, 2018

Fire managers hoped to use two helicopters to help battle the flames before the high winds moved in. The focus for firefighters is the fire's north side - where most of the threatened structures are located - and the east. Mandatory evacuations remained in effect Tuesday for 200 to 300 homes in the Strawberry Gorge, Camelot Resort, Currant Creek and Pinyon Ridge subdivisions. Gov. Gary Herbert took to Twitter Monday night to encourage residents to heed the evacuation order and to thank firefighters. Jenny Taylor, a resident who had to evacuate, said Monday night she only had 10 minutes to leave her cabin and "it's probably gone by now." "It's sad. Makes me want to cry. Lot of money, lot of time, all gone," she said. Roy Warner, another resident of the area, said the fire looked like "the gods are angry." "They tend to kind of work uphill, but that guy looks like he wants to come down," he said of the wildfire. The Red Cross has set up two centers for evacuated residents at the Fruitland LDS churchhouse and Duchesne High School. A shelter for animals from farms that were evacuated has been set up at the Duchesne County Fairgrounds. Curry advised residents in the area who have not been evacuated yet to have a plan in place. "It it critical that you're in the mindset of ready, set go," he said. "We don't make these evacuation orders out of an abundance of caution. We do it when we know the area is in danger." There was no estimate on Tuesday of when the evacuation order would be lifted. Curry said thick, overgrown vegetation has been fueling the fire even at night when the wind and temperatures are lower. The fire is burning in "extremely steep terrain" that is difficult for crews on the ground to access. A cause of the fire has not been pinpointed. Fire officials believe it started on private property in Wasatch County on Monday and quickly exploded by the evening to 30,000 acres in the Fruitland and the Pinnacles area. Late Monday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency announced in a press release it was stepping in with federal funds to help the state fight the fire. The agency says it will pay 75 percent of costs from expenses such as field camps and equipment use. Other fires still burning in Utah Tuesday included: • The West Valley Fire in Washington County's Pine Valley has burned 10,500 acres and was 5 percent contained. Utah fire officials said the blaze was caused by a campfire left unattended. More than 500 firefighters were working on the fire Monday, according to officials. • The Willow Patch Fire near Richfield has burned about 4,700 acres and was 55 percent contained. Officials believe it was also human caused. • The Black Mountain Fire near Minersville in Beaver County, caused by a vehicle accident last week, was 90 percent contained at about 6,000 acres. •The 1,300-acre, lighting-caused Willow Creek Fire north of Highway 40 and Strawberry Reservoir on the Heber-Kamas Ranger District was 96 percent contained Tuesday morning. —— Pat ReavyContributing: Ashley Imlay

Tuesday, 08:20am

U.S. 40 remains open near Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County

A warning for those traveling U.S. 40 near Strawberry Reservoir.

Help spread the word Highway 40 is open, but fire vehicles and reduced visibility due to the #DollarRidgeFire call for great caution
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 3, 2018

Tuesday, 07:20am

Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County upgraded to Type 1

More help on the way to help fight the Dollar Ridge Fire.

#BREAKING #UPDATE #DollarRidgeFire being upgraded to a Type 1 fire, which means more resources coming in to help including bigger helicopters. Also, PIO Jason Curry is sticking with the 30k acreage number. He says Duchesne County SO most likely looking at different mapping system pic.twitter.com/nzSJIkBCrm
— Caitlin Burchill (@newsyCaitlin) July 3, 2018

New evacuations ordered near Dollar Ridge Fire; 20-30 structures damaged or destroyed

By Carter Williams, KSL, Linda Williams, KSL and Pat Reavy, Deseret News | Posted - July 3, 2018 at 10:15 p.m.

Show 4 more videos

Volunteer evacuations issued in Dollar Ridge Fire

Updated evacuation map for for Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County

New fire reported in Uintah County

Evacuation ordered for Dry Fork Creek near Vernal

New evacuations for Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County

Dollar Ridge Fire (south of Fruitland, Duchesne County) threatening more structures

Where people can bring their pets, livestock evacuated by Dollar Ridge Fire

Authorities urge caution for drivers on US 40 due to Dollar Ridge Fire (near Fruitland, Duchesne County)

Afternoon update on West Valley Fire (near New Harmony, Washington County)

Noon update on West Valley Fire (near New Harmony, Washington County)

Herbert: Estimated 20-30 structures damaged or destroyed by Dollar Ridge Fire

Gov. Herbert to visit Dollar Ridge Fire site (near Fruitland, Duchesne County)

Crews continue to battle 'extreme' Dollar Ridge Fire near Fruitland in Duchesne County

U.S. 40 remains open near Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County

Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County upgraded to Type 1

Photos

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

More stories you may be interested in

Cedar City's historic iron marker to be restored following yearslong hunt for missing pieces

Water provider to lease water to Great Salt Lake amid record-low snowpack

Man shot by Salt Lake police booked into jail

KSL Weather Forecast

New evacuations ordered near Dollar Ridge Fire; 20-30 structures damaged or destroyed

By Carter Williams, KSL, Linda Williams, KSL and Pat Reavy, Deseret News | Posted - July 3, 2018 at 10:15 p.m.

+ Show 4 more videos

Volunteer evacuations issued in Dollar Ridge Fire

Updated evacuation map for for Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County

New fire reported in Uintah County

Evacuation ordered for Dry Fork Creek near Vernal

New evacuations for Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County

Dollar Ridge Fire (south of Fruitland, Duchesne County) threatening more structures

Where people can bring their pets, livestock evacuated by Dollar Ridge Fire

Authorities urge caution for drivers on US 40 due to Dollar Ridge Fire (near Fruitland, Duchesne County)

Afternoon update on West Valley Fire (near New Harmony, Washington County)

Noon update on West Valley Fire (near New Harmony, Washington County)

Herbert: Estimated 20-30 structures damaged or destroyed by Dollar Ridge Fire

Gov. Herbert to visit Dollar Ridge Fire site (near Fruitland, Duchesne County)

Crews continue to battle 'extreme' Dollar Ridge Fire near Fruitland in Duchesne County

U.S. 40 remains open near Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County

Dollar Ridge Fire in Duchesne County upgraded to Type 1

Photos

Most recent Utah stories

Police conduct undercover distracted driving crackdown in Salt Lake and Utah counties

Tooele man charged with stabbing his brother during an argument

Doki Doki, a pioneer in Salt Lake City's food scene, is closing its doors

Related topics

More stories you may be interested in

Cedar City's historic iron marker to be restored following yearslong hunt for missing pieces

Water provider to lease water to Great Salt Lake amid record-low snowpack

Man shot by Salt Lake police booked into jail

KSL Weather Forecast

Show 4 more videos