Close call for Utah firefighters when trucks are overrun by flames in 5,000 acre North Eden Fire

RICH COUNTY, Utah, Aug. 16, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A new wildfire in Rich County east of Bear Lake has grown to 5,000 acres and two vehicles have been destroyed while fighting it, officials said Thursday.

The North Eden Fire has reached the three-state border of Utah, Wyoming and Idaho, Utah Fire Info said in a tweet Thursday evening.

The fire was first reported by Utah Fire Info at 3 p.m. and is 10 percent contained.

Two fire vehicles fighting the wildfire were destroyed Thursday by wind-driven flames, an update on the Utah Fire Info website said.

A heavy engine from Woodruff Fire Department and a light engine from the State Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands responded to the fire’s west flank, the update said.

“One engine experienced a mechanical problem and as both crews tried to make the vehicle mobile again, flames quickly moved toward the scene cutting off their escape route,” the update said. “The group of three firefighters was forced to leave the vehicles and escape into the black. No injuries were reported.”

Gephardt Daily will have updates on the fire as they become available.

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