KANE COUNTY, Utah, July 2, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah fire officials announced Saturday that the Left Fork Fire is now 100% contained, a milestone that was previously estimated to be achievable by Aug. 1.
“Containment has reached 100% on the Left Fork Fire,” says a statement issued by Utah Interagency Fire and shared by Utah Fire Info. “Despite reaching containment, crews will continue to patrol and mop up near the perimeter.
“Firefighters will still be working in the area to continue suppression repair efforts in various portions of the fire. Suppression repair on a wildfire is completed to reduce the impacts that crews and equipment made during firefighting operations. These efforts reduce potential soil erosion and repair the damage to infrastructure.”
The Saturday statement says “many resources will demobilize today and go through the decontamination process, to prevent the threat of spreading invasive species such as Chytrid and Whirling disease.”
Chytrid is a fungus that degrades amphibians’ permeable skin, which they used to breathe and regulate their water levels, the statement says. Whirling disease is an affliction in some species of trout and salmon, caused by a water-borne parasite, it says.
“The forest closure will continue to be reassessed, but for now will remain in place until it is safe for the public to recreate in the area,” the statement says.
