Firefighters gain on Utah blaze

ESCALANTE, Utah, June 19 (UPI) -- A wildfire burning in a national forest in southern Utah was about 45 percent contained Thursday, firefighters said.

Officials told The Salt Lake Tribune they hoped that the Corn Creek Fire would be fully contained by Saturday.

The fire has charred 2,200 acres of pinion pine and sagebrush in Dixie National Forest 11 miles west of Escalante. An overheated truck sparked the blaze Sunday.

The U.S. Forest Service used 15 fire crews backed up by three helicopters, 16 fire trucks a bulldozer and six water tenders in the effort. By midweek, crews had begun mop up operations in some areas while continuing to cut fire lines to surround the blaze.

Brock Astle, a spokesman for the fire management team, said that the blaze has cost $1.1 million so far.