- Lightning caused the Wild Horse Fire in Fishlake National Forest on Wednesday.
- The fire has burned 1,200 acres and is 5% contained, as of Thursday.
- Strong winds contributed to rapid growth, but conditions have now eased.
LEAMINGTON, Millard County — Firefighters have determined the cause of a wildfire that sparked in central Utah on Wednesday, and quickly became the largest wildfire in the state so far this year.
Lightning sparked the Wild Horse Fire that broke out within Fishlake National Forest, U.S. Forest Service officials said Thursday. The fire has now burned 1,500 acres and is 5% contained.
A low-pressure system north of Utah brought strong winds and isolated thunderstorms across the state, said KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson. The National Weather Service issued a few special weather statements and severe thunderstorm warnings throughout the afternoon, some of which stretched into parts of central Utah.
The wind gusts that caused damage in the Salt Lake Valley and northern Utah also contributed to dangerous fire weather. The weather service issued red flag warnings for southwest Utah, based on temperature, wind and low relative humidity.
Central Utah wasn't included in those warnings, but wind gusts of up to 88 mph were recorded in Salina, located about 45 miles southeast of Leamington.
Firefighters said on Wednesday that gusty winds contributed to the Wild Horse Fire's rapid growth, which threatened power lines and nearly a dozen structures in the area for some time.
The system that created the winds and storms has now moved east, easing the conditions, Johnson said. Federal firefighters said they have seen "minimal growth" in the fire, thanks to "favorable" conditions, which have allowed them to gain some containment. The containment percentage is expected to increase as early as Thursday evening.
A Type 4 fire management team is still overseeing fire operations. The Cedar City Hotshots, an interagency crew based in Cedar City, arrived on Thursday to assist in creating containment lines in the area's toughest terrain, U.S. Forest Service officials said.
"Fire managers feel confident about the work completed to protect the structures and infrastructure (power lines)," they wrote in an update.
While there are no evacuations, Leamington Pass and Fool Creek Roads remain closed.
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