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Favorable weather helps contain Utah's Brian Head Fire

By Andrew V. Pestano
Utah officials said favorable conditions on Sunday helped firefighters further contain the Brian Head Fire, which is 10 percent contained as of Sunday night. Photo courtesy of Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Keith D. Squires/Twitter
Utah officials said favorable conditions on Sunday helped firefighters further contain the Brian Head Fire, which is 10 percent contained as of Sunday night. Photo courtesy of Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Keith D. Squires/Twitter

June 26 (UPI) -- The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands said improved weather conditions helped contain the Brian Head Fire in southwest Utah, which has grown to 42,800 acres.

The Utah forestry agency late Sunday said the fire was 10 percent contained. Tim Roide, the fire incident commander, described the day as "a good day for firefighters, who were able to have success securing areas of particular concern, including the many structures affected by the Brian Head Fire."

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About 1,140 total personnel were deployed in efforts to contain the Brian Head Fire. The fire was started June 17 by a resident burning weeds and has been fueled by hot, dry conditions and strong winds.

On Sunday, "weather conditions improved slightly ... leading to minimal growth on the fire perimeter," the Utah forestry agency said in a statement.

But the agency anticipates the fire will spread toward Horse Valley Peak on Monday due to winds from 10 mph and up to 25 mph gusts.

"To counter this spread, a dozer constructed indirect fireline, away from the current fire perimeter, across the valley," the agency added. "Airtankers dropped retardant immediately adjacent to the dozerline with the intent that the retardant should minimize the ability of embers to start spot fires across the dozerline."

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Firefighting crews will continue to secure the southern perimeter of the fire to slow its progression toward Mammoth Creek on Monday and will also scout ahead of the fire to its north and south to prepare for possible increases in fire activity or a shift in movement, the agency said

The blaze straddles Iron and Garfield counties. Since the fire began on June 17 in the resort town of Brian Head, several hundred people have been evacuated from their homes.

The Brian Head Fire is one of several wildfires affecting the U.S. Southwest: the Corral Fire in New Mexico's Gila National Forest has burned more than 17,000 acres; the Frye Fire in Arizona's Coronado National Forest has burned more than 35,500 acres; the Boundary Fire in Arizona's Kaibab National Forest has burned more than 17,150 acres; and the Poker Brown Fire in Nevada burned 15,537 acres in total.

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