July 18, 2017
Contact: 385-368-0403
Tooele County, Utah – On Sunday, July 16 at around 1700, an active lightning storm traveled across the Onaqui Mountains starting several fires. Crews were dispatched and were successful in quickly extinguishing some of the fires, while others continued to grow. With many incidents around the state, managers are treating these individual fires as one large incident (a complex) in an effort to be efficient and effective with limit resources. This blaze is being fought aggressively with engines, bulldozers, hand crews, smoke jumpers, helicopters, and airplanes. 100% containment is the goal with firefighter and public safety the number one priority. The fire is burning in grass, sage brush, pinyon juniper and approaching areas of timber. Typically, desert fires are driven by the wind. This one is no different as strong winds helped the fire grow large in a short period of time. Weather forecasts are calling for high temperatures, low relative humidity, and gusty winds that could aid in more growth. The small town of Terra was evacuated in the evening on Monday, July 17th. The evacuation only lasted for two hours as fire crews addressed the approaching flames quickly allowing for the safe return of homeowners. The town is no longer threatened. The fires are fairly isolated and are not threatening any more structures, infrastructure, or wilderness areas. Get the latest fire updates on social media by following Twitter/Facebook @UtahWildfire Acres Burned: 32,492 Containment: 25% Total Personnel: 325 Closures: None Evacuations: None Structures Lost or damaged: 0 For more information on fires in Utah visit www.utahfireinfo.gov.