SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah's first large wildfire of the season
has burned over about 1,700 acres about 20 miles southwest of
Hanksville in southern Utah, and firefighters are taking a slow,
low-cost approach to attacking it.
The blaze started Friday evening when lightning struck a tree
near the Lonesome Beaver Campground in the Henry Mountains.
The fire is burning largely in pinon and juniper, Bureau of Land
Management spokesman Bert Hart said. "The fuels are extremely dry.
They just haven't had a chance to recover."
Wind and heat caused the fire to expand rapidly on Wednesday,
but it settled down some on Thursday as the weather turned cooler
and winds were lower, Hart said.
The fire has extended into two wilderness study areas, and there
are a few cabins and three camp grounds in the area.
Hart said the options for attacking the fire were full
suppression, concentrating on protecting structures or just letting
it go.
He said officials picked the middle road, protecting structures.
"We're trying to keep the cost down," he said.
There is no projected date of containment and the fire may burn
for weeks, he said.
Hart said 200 personnel, aided by two helicopters and five
engines, were expected to be on the blaze Friday.
Some area roads have been closed.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
has burned over about 1,700 acres about 20 miles southwest of
Hanksville in southern Utah, and firefighters are taking a slow,
low-cost approach to attacking it.
The blaze started Friday evening when lightning struck a tree
near the Lonesome Beaver Campground in the Henry Mountains.
The fire is burning largely in pinon and juniper, Bureau of Land
Management spokesman Bert Hart said. "The fuels are extremely dry.
They just haven't had a chance to recover."
Wind and heat caused the fire to expand rapidly on Wednesday,
but it settled down some on Thursday as the weather turned cooler
and winds were lower, Hart said.
The fire has extended into two wilderness study areas, and there
are a few cabins and three camp grounds in the area.
Hart said the options for attacking the fire were full
suppression, concentrating on protecting structures or just letting
it go.
He said officials picked the middle road, protecting structures.
"We're trying to keep the cost down," he said.
There is no projected date of containment and the fire may burn
for weeks, he said.
Hart said 200 personnel, aided by two helicopters and five
engines, were expected to be on the blaze Friday.
Some area roads have been closed.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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