BOUNTIFUL, Utah, Aug. 31, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — Officials announced Saturday that residents evacuated from nearly 300 residences due to the ongoing Gun Range Fire are now allowed to return home.
Non-residents are still asked to stay clear of the area, officials said at a news conference.
Kim Osborn, U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman for the Gun Range Fire, said that firefighters will still battle the wildfire higher on the mountain, but the residential area has been cleared, and structure-response firetrucks will be leaving that area. Crews will remain higher on the mountain to fight the wildfire.
Bountiful’s Tolman Park, 100 N 1300 E, is still being used as a fire camp and will reopen to the public at 8 p.m. Monday, Osborn said. Those seeking a park for holiday picnics should choose a different location.
The fire still stands at 365 acres affected and 10 percent contained, Osborn said, but containment is expected to increase significantly now that firefighters can focus on uninhabited areas, officials said. Osborn said she expects the fire to be out within the next couple days.
A Bountiful fire official said he was grateful for the hard work of firefighters from Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties, and for the equipment made available due to reciprocal agreements. Without that assistance, the damage of three homes destroyed and five damaged could have been hundreds of homes destroyed.
The fire was first spotted at 1 a.m. Tuesday, and crews have been on site ever since.
