BOUNTIFUL, Utah, Sept. 1, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — Firefighting authorities announced late Sunday evening that the Gun Range Fire east of Bountiful is now 100 percent contained.
It was announced earlier in the day that crews had the blaze 80 percent contained at 321 acres. Two handcrews, two engines and 125 personnel were the resources assigned to the fire Sunday.
Nearly 300 homes had been evacuated since the blaze began at approximately 12:30 a.m. Friday. A total of three homes were destroyed and five were damaged by the wildfire, on the Salt Lake Ranger District of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.
Officials said Saturday morning that residents were allowed to return home.
“The fire was started by an abandoned campfire and is still under investigation,” the Northern Utah Interagency Team reported in an update Sunday afternoon, and anyone with information regarding the fire was urged to contact the Bountiful Police Department.
“Firefighters will work Sunday to rehabilitate the fire line to help prevent erosion,” the update said. “A team will be in this week, to assess the effects of the fire on the landscape to determine what other steps may need to be taken. Crews will also continue to mop up hotspots that are nearest to the containment lines.”
The update said that on Monday the Northern Utah Interagency Type 3 Team will turn the fire back over to the local forest.
“Over the next week residents can expect to see smoke in the interior of the fire,” the update said. “Personnel will be patrolling the fire and taking any further actions if necessary. The Northern Utah Interagency Team would like to thank the cooperating agencies and the members of the community for their support.”
The update noted that Ward Canyon Road is closed from the Forest boundary to the intersection of Skyline Drive and Sessions Mountain Road. The North Firebreak Road is closed on National Forest Lands from the Bountiful B north to Rick’s Creek.
Bountiful’s Tolman Park, at 100 N. 1300 East, is still being used as a fire camp and will reopen to the public Monday morning.
