Courtesy UtahFireInfo via Twitter Firefighters on Wednesday are battling a 500-acre blaze near the southwestern Utah town of Toquerville. The wildfire, burning in Bureau of Land Management acreage containing cheat grass, brush, pinyon and juniper trees, was about 30 percent contained as of Wednesday.

Lower temperatures help tame Toquerville fire

Fire » Blaze should be fully contained by 6 p.m. Thursday.

By bob mims

| The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published May 02 2012 07:38 am • Last Updated Aug 28 2012 11:32 pm

Lower temperatures and increased humidity from a fresh storm system helped firefighters catch a break Wednesday to bring a 248-acre blaze near Toquerville to near full containment.

"It has been a really good day," fire information officer Nick Howell said, noting that the wildfire was 75 percent contained and should be fully contained Thursday by 6 p.m.

Howell said Wednesday that the wildfire, burning in Bureau of Land Management acreage containing cheat grass, brush, pinyon and juniper trees, originally started in Toquerville city limits but moved to BLM land. More than 100 firefighters were on the ground, aided by two helicopters and more than a dozen fire engines and other vehicles.

"Our fire behavior decreased overnight with the lower temperatures and rising humidity," Howell said

A global-positioning-satellite-assisted helicopter survey was conducted Wednesday and found 248 acres had been charred.

Agencies contributing crews and resources to the effort include BLM, national and state parks, forests services and the fire departments of Hurricane, Leeds, Washington City, St. George and Hildale.

The fire is believed to have been sparked by a man burning debris about 11 a.m. Monday. He reportedly has been cited for improper burning.

Three other fires also burned Wednesday in Washington County, all were human-caused.

"We are not off to a very good start," Howell said of the fires. "Hopefully, we can prevent some of these."

No structures have been threatened, no evacuations have been ordered and no roads have been closed as a result of the blaze.

remims@sltrib.com

Cimaron Neugebauer contributed to this story

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