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LIBERTY, Weber County — Powder Mountain was evacuated due to a new wildfire that sparked on Thursday afternoon.
The fire was first reported by Weber County dispatchers just before 4 p.m. It is burning about six miles north of Eden, in the South Canyon area near the Avon-Liberty Divide, Cache County officials said on Twitter.
The fire grew to 780 acres by 8:30 p.m., according to firefighters at the scene. It was zero percent contained, officials said.
No traffic was being allowed on Powder Mountain Road, also known as state Route 158, resort officials said on Twitter. The resort was being evacuated as a precaution as of 4:30 p.m., officials said. Between eight and 12 people were evacuated.
UPDATE from firefighters fighting wildfire in Liberty: 8-12 people evacuated tonight, 780 acres burned, 0 percent contained; fire appears to have started at gun range but unclear how, under investigation @KSL5TV#KSLLive#Utahpic.twitter.com/v4Xuox02XF
— Andrew Adams (@AndrewAdamsKSL) August 31, 2018
The road to Powder Mountain was closed at the gate about four miles north of Eden, according to Utah Department of Transportation officials. Traffic from the resort was being allowed out, as the resort was still being evacuated, UDOT said.
Fire crews from Cache and Weber counties were on the scene, Cache County officials said. Multiple engines and a helicopter were on scene, officials said. More crews and an additional helicopter were being dispatched as of 5 p.m., according to fire officials.
An evacuation center was being set up at Snowcrest Jr. High School, 2755 N. Highway 162 in Eden, for those people who were evacuated from Powder Mountain, Weber County officials said.
Pineview Lake was also inaccessible because crews were drawing water from the lake to use for the fire, officials said.
Contributing: Andrew Adams
