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MONTICELLO — Lightning sparked a wildfire 45 miles west of Monticello Tuesday, and the flames are "becoming more active," officials said.
Now dubbed the Peavine Fire, the fire began in the Dark Canyon Wilderness of the Manti-La Sal National Forest and has since burned 145 acres, according to an emailed statement from the Forest Service Intermountain Region. Officials have not released information about how extensively the fire is contained.
Dry, hot conditions have caused the fire to grow, making smoke visible from the U.S. Highway 191 corridor. Small groups of trees are burning, and the fire is moving uphill with the breeze. Currently, 141 people are assigned to fight the fire, the forest service said.
Crews are using a type of fireline that causes "minimal disturbance — so fewer trees need to be cut, and more natural features like wet areas and rock outcrops can help stop the fire's spread.
The Brush Knoll and Peavine Canyon forest trails are closed, as well as the Dry Mesa Spur Road, the forest service said.
Watch KSL.com for live updates on wildfires across the state.
Thursday's update:
Wildfire updates: Crews close to full containment of Tooele County fire
Crews have made significant ground fighting a fire that sparked after birds got into a power line, officials said Thursday morning.This article will be updated if more information becomes available.
