SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Extreme heat, low humidity and gusty winds are helping fuel several wildfires across the western United States, including a fast-growing blaze in Utah that led officials to evacuate a small town. The hot pattern is expected to continue into the coming week, raising the risk of new fires and added growth on existing ones.
Iron Fire Near Eureka
The Iron fire in Juab County was first spotted Saturday and had burned more than 2,000 acres by Sunday. The fire, about 70 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, prompted evacuation orders for Eureka, a town of about 1,000 people, as well as a nearby ranch.
No Homes Lost So Far
Officials said firefighters were able to keep the flames from reaching homes in Eureka. Utah Fire Info said crews carried out a successful operation to protect the community, while the state fire prevention specialist said the blaze was still growing in drought conditions.
Cause Still Under Review
Kelly Wickens of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands said the fire was human-caused and remains under investigation. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox visited the town Sunday and said the state knew fire danger would be extreme and saw multiple fires break out anyway.
Fire Danger Across Southwest
The Utah blaze was one of six fires burning in the state at different levels of containment. In Colorado, the southwest corner was under a red-flag warning through Monday because of strong winds and very low humidity, while a fire near Sedona, Arizona, remained uncontained after evacuations over the weekend.
Heat Wave Raises Risk
Much of the West saw above-average temperatures over the weekend, and forecasters expect even hotter weather early next week. Officials also pointed to severe drought in Utah and parts of Arizona and Colorado, along with other recent fire deaths and a large brush fire in Florida, as signs of how widespread the danger has become.
Utah, from the Wasatch to the border – Chambyte has it covered.