Utah’s wildfire season begins as two blazes consume an estimated 150 acres

One of Utah’s first wildfires of the season had burned 110 acres in northwest Emery County by Wednesday.

Crews had 60 percent of the Crandall Fire contained, noting that a northeast containment line held despite gusty winds overnight, according to updates from the Emery County sheriff’s office and the Great Basin Coordination Center. Crews had also been working to secure the southwest line, according to news releases from the Manti-La Sal National Forest.

Another wildfire, the North Myton Fire, burned an estimated 30 to 50 acres on private and tribal land about two miles northeast of Myton, in Duchesne County, before it was contained Tuesday afternoon, according to a post written by Geoff Liesik Communications and shared by various government agencies in the area.

The Crandall Fire — burning in steep terrain about a mile southwest of the Crandall Canyon Mine and about 15 miles northwest of Huntington — appeared to have been caused by people who were recreating in the area and started a warming fire, officials said.

Though the fire was first reported Friday afternoon, officials believe it started at least a few days prior. An investigation was ongoing.

Crandall Canyon Mine, owned by Utah American Energy, had no “active workings” and no personnel stationed there, the release said, and therefore no one in the area was endangered by the fire.

Two firefighting crews and a helicopter dropping water led suppression efforts as the fire burned dry grass, understory litter and mixed conifer forests.

“There is no new green vegetation on the forest to slow the fire, so dry grass is carrying the flames,” a news release said, adding that the blaze was “edging” its way northeast and “slowly” up the slope.

Officials hoped to contain the fire by Wednesday and have it fully controlled by the end of the week.

Gates at Miller Flat Road/SR-31 junction and at the Gooseberry Road were closed Wednesday, according to the National Forest Service. Snow in the area was “soft and melting.“ And while the lower graveled mile of Nuck Woodward Road remained open, the stretch between the trailhead and the gate at the top of Castle Valley Ridge was closed.

“Good weather and various hunting seasons are bringing people to the Forest early this year,” the release said.

The Forest Service cautioned visitors to build fires in a fire ring or to clear away all vegetation down to the dirt before starting fires. And before leaving, people should make sure the fire is “dead out” and never leave it unattended, officials said.

“Dry conditions make these warnings even more urgent this spring,” the news release said, “when there is so much dry vegetation from last year’s growth and new green vegetation has not yet emerged.”

According to Jason Curry, spokesman for the state Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, precipitation totals throughout the state have been lower than normal over the last year, and snowpack-wise, central Utah is “a little worse off” than some other regions.

Fire officials are expecting a report to be published at the beginning of May to give a better idea of expected fire activity this season. They’ll hold a news conference May 3 to share findings in that report, Curry said.