Crews are working to reach containment status for the Dollar Ridge Fire burning on the border of Wasatch and Duchesne counties. The area burned is estimated to be around 30,000 acres.
Due to the wildfire, two to three hundred homes have been evacuated in eastern Utah. Jason Curry, spokesman for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands said they are unsure of the number of people that represents.
“Although we do know that some homes have been affected and burned by the fire,” Curry said, “we don’t know numbers yet. That’s something that’s going to be worked on here as soon as we can safely get people in to do that."
Governor Gary Herbert says the weather will be an important factor in reaching containment status for the fire.
“This fire really has a lot to do with how the weather and what weather conditions are going to be this afternoon,” Herbert said.
Too much wind will make it difficult for air support to drop needed water and retardant on the fire, Herbert said.
“The frustrating things for me and I think for everybody,” Herbert said, “is to know with all the fires we’ve got going in Utah and we’ve got a lot of them is tinder-like conditions out there. It’s dry. We’ve been through a drought. We all recognized this, but 92 percent of all the fires we have in Utah have been man caused.”
Herbert reminded residents to be careful with fireworks, campfires, and where they park hot vehicles during the dry months.
