Utah homes safe from wildfire

NEW HARMONY, Utah, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Lower humidity and temperatures Wednesday aided southern Utah firefighters battling a wildfire threatening homes in town of New Harmony, officials said.

A spokeswoman for the Dixie National Forest told The Salt Lake Tribune the homes "are secure from the threat of uncontrolled fire."

Firefighters using hand tools constructed nearly 800 feet of fire breaks in an effort to protect New Harmony from being burned again by the 11,180-acre Mill Flat fire, which Tuesday was about 10 percent contained.

Three homes in the town were destroyed Saturday, when high winds drove flames down the Pine Valley mountains in just a few hours, the newspaper said.

No injuries were reported although eight other buildings were damaged.