DUCHESNE COUNTY, Utah, Aug. 14, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Additional firefighting resources are being marshaled to battle the Boulder Ridge Fire burning in Duchesne County.
A Saturday night update posted on Utah Fire Info said “The #BoulderRidgeFire is estimated at 30 acres as of 8 p.m. This number is expected to change once more accurate mapping of the fire can take place.
“Crews are still in the initial attack stage with the objective of fully suppressing the fire. No containment has been reported,” the UFI update said.
The #BoulderRidgeFire is burning on Ute tribal land in Duchesne County near Monarch Ridge and Brown’s Draw Reservoir about 6 miles west of Neola, the online post reported.
“A Type 3 organization led by Incident Commander Joe Williams has assumed command of the fire. Orders for additional firefighters, equipment and aircraft have been placed. These resources should begin arriving Sunday morning.”
An earlier press release said “two 20-person hand crews, six engines, four large air tankers, two single-engine air tankers, a Type 1 helicopter, and a dozer,” had been deployed to fight the fire. One of their missions, along with oil and gas company fire crews, was to protect oil and gas locations.
“There are oil and gas locations in the area,” a UFI post stated. “Energy company crews are working to shut in those wells.”
The Saturday evening update said overnight forecasts called for scattered showers and thunderstorms with a 35 percent chance of rain. “Winds were expected to be 5 to 9 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.”
Sunday’s forecast “calls for a 90 percent chance of rain with scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the day,” the UFI update reported. “Wind gusts are expected to reach nearly 20 mph with an increased chance of lightning after noon.”
A fire status update is expected later Sunday morning.
Gephardt Daily will update the story as more information is made available.
