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Gusty winds, tinder-dry conditions and continuing hot weather combined as southern Utah's Brian Head Fire expanded to about 50,000 acres Tuesday.

Mapped on Tuesday morning at 49,626 acres, the fire — named for the Iron County resort town where someone burning weeds sparked the inferno June 17 — grew by about 4,000 acres between Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

But the total acreage burned was likely higher as the day ended, because officials said they did not plan to map the fire again until Wednesday morning. There had been significant growth throughout the day to the northwest, an evening update said, where the fire reached the Indian Hollow area.

About 1,605 firefighters, along with bulldozers and a fleet of helicopters and air tankers, were on the scene as of Tuesday night.

No new structural losses or injuries were reported. The fire has destroyed 21 buildings, 13 of them residences. It remains 10 percent contained.

In the evening update, fire officials said Tuesday's winds were lighter than expected, though the fire continued to spread throughout the day.

Wednesday will be the third "Red Flag" warning day in a row, indicating windy conditions conducive to fire growth. But officials hoped "moderated" weather conditions would begin Thursday and continue for the next week.

About 1,500 people — including seven residents asked to leave the Bear Valley area Monday night as a precaution — remained evacuated Tuesday.

"We're continuing to work with the [Iron County] Sheriff's Office to evaluate the needs of the evacuees and to see what we can do to get those folks back to their homes," said Elayn Briggs, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman.

Brian Head officials are looking at the fire "day by day" to determine when evacuated residents will be permitted to return home, said Town Manager Bret Howser. The blaze could circle back into the town or cut off access to Highway 148, he said.

On Facebook, the town reported Tuesday that Rocky Mountain Power crews had restored electricity to the town, and South Central Communications crews were continuing to work on restoring telephone and fiber optic connections that were damaged in the blaze.

Fire officials re-evaluate the evacuation situation every evening, Howser said, after they've seen how firefighting efforts have gone. The decision to lift the evacuation will "most likely be made at the end of a day for the next day," he said, and would be posted to the town's Facebook page.

The American Red Cross continued to provide shelter and other aid to those evacuees at Panguitch High School and nearby Parowan. Southern Utah University was offering dorm rooms for evacuees.

By Friday night, the blaze was affecting the city of Panguitch's watershed, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office said. The springs affected by the fire "have been diverted out of the culinary [water] system," officials said Tuesday on Facebook, and "should only be diverted for a short time." They said the city's well system should be able to temporarily accommodate the city's needs, but they asked residents to not water outdoors with culinary water in the meantime.

Officials said they planned to send more engines and aviation resources to the northwestern flank, which made the biggest run Tuesday. Mop-up continues on the eastern and southern sides, where tree snags and lava fields have challenged operations.

To the southeast, crews continue to mop up where winds pushed fire across State Route 143 in several spots.

In the Dark Hollow area to the southwest, firefighters planned to conduct a burnout Wednesday to "bring the fire perimeter to a more manageable location for firefighters to contain," according to Tuesday night's update. And to the northwest, firefighters continue to make "good progress," and expect to have additional containment soon.

The target date for completely hemming in the flames remains July 15.

A community meeting about the fire is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Panguitch High School, 390 East 100 South.

Twitter: @remims

Reporters Luke Ramseth and Mariah Noble contributed to this story.