This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Firefighters and the U.S. Forest Service on Monday plan to set backfires against a blaze that's burning in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
The Mineral Fork Fire has been slowly burning since lightning ignited it on Aug. 6 across from the Moss Ledge Picnic Area. The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest on Saturday said it plans to conduct what it calls a burnout on Monday and Tuesday.
According to a press release, setting the backfires will help firefighters manage the Mineral Fork Fire, reduce fuels in the canyon and protect Salt Lake City's watershed. The Forest Service asks that onlookers not call 911 to report the fire.
The Mill B South Fork Trail and the Broads Fork Trail will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for the burnout. The Mineral Fork Trail will remain closed until the larger fire is contained.
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