This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A brush fire burning through phragmites and other wetland foliage on the south end of Utah Lake kept a beach area closed on Sunday, but firefighters expected to have the blaze fully contained by evening.
Some boys first reported the fire about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, as a storm rolled over the lake. Firefighters from Salem, Spanish Fork and Utah County found the blaze in the Sandy Beach area, said Utah County Fire Capt. Nathan Trujillo.
However, the fire crews waited until about 9 a.m. before tackling the fire since the flames were not threatening any structures, and the high winds coupled with boggy terrain made the blaze too dangerous to fight until the wind died down, Trujillo said.
By 4 p.m., firefighters had the fire about 95 percent contained. Thus far, it has burned about 75 acres, Trujillo said.
The fire captain expected crews will have the blaze fully contained by about 6 p.m. Sunday.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
For the time being, the Sandy Beach area remains closed off to the public. Trujillo expects it to reopen Monday.
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