DUCHESNE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) – On Tuesday, the East Myton Complex Fire burning in Duchesne County is prompting concern for officials.
“It was just hard to keep up with it was moving so fast,” Public Information Officer Mike Eriksson with the Utah Division of Forestry tells ABC4.
At last check, the fire has burned 2,200 acres and is 10% contained.
The fire threatened 17 homes and structures; eight homes were evacuated but those evacuation orders have been lifted.
Power lines were destroyed, leaving people in the dark.
“We haven’t had any lightning storms out here. We just don’t know if it’s a camp fire or started on the road,” Eriksson explains. A Tuesday release says the fire was human caused.
About 90 personnel are working to increase containment and officials say this is a dangerous and early start to the fire season.
“We are already seeing elevated fire and a large part of that is due to the current drought situation,” Meteorologist Glen Merrill with Nation Weather Service says.
The area where the fire is burning is in some of the driest parts of the state.
“2020 was the driest year on record for the state of Utah and, over the wintertime, we have gotten snow,” Merrill says. “We are sitting at about 80% of normal snowpack for this time of year. That’s not what we need.”
This fire burning is a reminder for people as we approach a potentially active fire season.
“Make sure, when you make a fire, you’ve got a ring around it, make sure you’ve cleared the area.”
Officials say some help could be on the way. Spring is typically a time when we see more moisture in the air.
