GARFIELD COUNTY, Utah, June 5, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A growing wildfire in the Dixie National Forest triggered evacuations Saturday afternoon, just hours after the fire was first spotted.
The Mammoth fire was discovered around one o’clock Saturday afternoon about 20 miles east of Cedar City. The fire is 5 miles north of Duck Creek Village and according to the state wildfire dashboard it has already scorched about 600 acres.
Pictures taken by the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office show the fire burning near homes and a camper engulfed in flames. The sheriff’s office confirms evacuations late in the afternoon, but has not said just how many people were forced to leave. However, there are reports of 200 structures being threatened.
The Sheriff’s Office also says roads into the Mammoth Creek area have been closed for safety reasons.
The fire is said to be showing extreme behavior and has a smoke plume that can be clearly seen by
satellites.
Crews have determined that the Mammoth Fire started naturally.
A type two incident management team is expected to assume command of the fight as early as Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Turner Park Fire has flared up north of Interstate 70 in Grand County. Utah Wildfire Info puts it at just 5 acres and says it’s burning in rugged, inaccessible terrain. While this fire is not said to threatening anything at this time, smoke jumpers have been called in to help get it under control.
The weather is making the fight against these fires more difficult while conditions are ripe for more fires to start and take off quickly. A red flag fire weather warning is in effect for much of Utah until Sunday night with more warnings already in place for later in the week when winds are expected to pick up.
