Video courtesy Utah County Sheriff’s Office/YouTube: Successful firing operation in Division J on the Coal Hollow Fire.
UTAH COUNTY, Utah, Aug. 19, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — The Coal Hollow Fire has now consumed 29,750 acres and is 47 percent contained, officials said Sunday night.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Aug. 16, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said the cost, to date, of fighting this fire is $8.026 million dollars.
The current estimated date for containment is Sept. 1.
Firefighters continue to tie together sections of completed fire lines, which has increased overall containment, according to a late Sunday update from officials.
According to the update, 707 personnel are fighting the blaze.
“High pressure building over the Great Basin kept winds terrain driven across the fire today,” the update said.
“Smoke from surrounding fires created a haze over the area slowing warming through the day. The warmer, drier, and unstable air that is returning to the region has increased the Haines Index to a 5.” (The Haines Index measures the potential for dry, unstable air to contribute to the development of large or erratic wild fires.)
“Monday moisture starts to work its way back into the ridge, increasing the potential for thunderstorms,” the update continues. “The major concern with Monday is the big increase in ridge top winds from the southwest. Wind gusts up to 25 mph will be possible on Monday.”
The lightning-caused Coal Hollow Fire, 15 miles southeast of Spanish Fork, started at about 7:30 a.m. Aug. 4 near U.S. Highway 6 and Dairy Fork in southeast Utah County.
