Latest news with #ForsythFire
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Forsyth fire crosses 9,550 acres, evacuation orders for to be downgraded
PINE VALLEY, Utah () — The , that has been burning for a week now, has consumed 9,665 acres and is at 5% containment, according to the latest update from the . A community meeting was held Thursday, June 26, and it was only open to residents of Pine Valley, Grass Valley and Gray's Ranch. All three communities are under evacuation orders. Residents of Pinto are still on standby. Officials said that a recording of the meeting will be available after the meeting on the Dixie National Forest Facebook page. At the community meeting, Washington County Sheriff's Department announced that evacuation orders for the communities of Pine Valley, Grass Valley, and Grassy Flats will be downgraded from 'go' status to 'set' status Friday at 10 a.m. Residents will be able to return to their homes starting at that time, but they will still need to be ready to evacuate again if conditions worsen. According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, as the weather continues to warm up, everything is drying out. This combined with the difficult terrain, is making it hard to fight the fire. About 509 personnel are battling the fire. PREVIOUSLY: Forsyth Fire continues to spread, reaches nearly 9,000 acres, 5% contained The containment is a portion of the south side of the town of Pine Valley, represented in the map below with a black thick line. Officials also addressed concerns about this taking as long as it is to build containment. They say that the Saddle Fire of 2016 burned for 7 weeks before getting 100% containment and burned approximately 2,200 acres. Depending on the weather and fuels on the ground, the Washington County Sheriff's Office has asked the community to be patient as firefighters 'push themselves so hard trying to get the entire town contained to relieve the danger.' What is a red flag warning anyway? Wildland firefighting terminologies explained Kelly Wickens, Prevention Specialist for Forestry Fire State Lands, State of Utah, mean in an interview with 'When we talk about percentages, say the fire is 10% contained, that means that around the perimeter of the fire, we believe that 10% of that perimeter is secure,' Wickens said. 'So, we do not think that the fire will cross in that area, so that means we are confident that in that area, that the fire will no longer progress.' A warming trend is expected to continue through the weekend, bringing elevated fire weather conditions. According to the U.S. Forest Service, with the change of storms on Monday and Tuesday, they may not only bring precipitation, but can also produce dry lightning with gusty winds, leading to increased fire behavior and the potential for new fires. According to Mike Johnston, Incident Commander of the Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team 7, whose team is leading the fight against the Forsyth Fire, said they are working along the Lloyd Canyon ridgeline and will remain in place for the next several days to help secure the southwestern flank. On the northeast end of the fire near Grass Valley, crews were able to build handline along the fire's edge tying it into the West Valley Fire scar, officials said. Following successful firing operations around the summer home community, firefighters are now focused on mop-up and securing the edge in that area. Mopping up the fire . We will be liveblogging the latest updates below. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Forsyth Fire impacting lives of ranchers in southern Utah
PINE VALLEY, Utah () — The Forsyth Fire hasn't just threatened homes, it's also disrupted a way of life that families have known for decades. Pine Valley is a tight-knit ranch town where generations of families have made a living off of the land. But as the Forsyth Fire burns through the area, many ranchers are facing both a difficult and emotional challenge. Larry Gardiner, who lives in Pine Valley, says this isn't just where they work. It's where they live, where they raise their cattle and where they've built their entire lives, spending all 76 of their years there. Forsyth Fire burning over 7,000 acres, still at 0% containment He and his neighbors have been working nonstop either protecting cattle where they are or moving them from Pine Valley to Grass Valley, only to have the fire force them to move again. 'It's a hardship,' Gardiner said. 'People were coming in yesterday, day before yesterday, getting their cattle here and moving them to Grass Valley. Then the fire went to Grass Valley, so they'll move them and keep them out of harm's way.' The Utah Department of Agriculture said in a statement to ABC4 that there is an Emergency Disaster Relief Loan Program available for those who have been impacted. They are also coordinating with the Division of Wildlife Resources to help producers find grazing land. They say there isn't much land available in southern Utah but are reaching out to affected ranchers in the area with updates. Diego Luna named to MLS All-Star team again Republicans report progress, but no deal on critical SALT issue Fireworks Safety: Celebrate the holidays safely Navajo Nation man charged for shooting death of man in Southern Utah John Collins exercises $26.5 option with Jazz Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Lightning caused nearly 9,000-acre Forsyth Fire in Utah, officials say
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah – The Forsyth Fire continues to burn thousands of acres in Utah and was officially started by a lightning strike, officials said. Firefighters have been battling the wildfire since it was discovered on June 19. It has now burned 8,899 acres and is uncontained. The Dixie National Forest division of the U.s. Forest Service announced Tuesday that the fire was caused when lightning hit a tree. During the initial attack on the fire, the incident commander discovered a tree that was hit by lightning near the fire's point of origin in the Pine Valley Wilderness Area. An investigation into the cause showed thunderstorms came through the area June 9 – just 10 days before the fire was discovered. Evaluation of the tree proved that the lightning strike hit the base of the tree, igniting a fire within the tree's trunk. Bolts From The Blue: How Dangerous Lightning Can Strike Miles Away From Thunderstorms The U.S. Forest Service said these types of lightning strikes are so hot, they vaporize any sap and moisture in the tree, starting a very slow smoldering fire that burns from the inside out. Because the fire was contained inside the tree, it went undetected until strong winds Thursday increased fire activity, finally revealing smoke. Which States Have The Most Lightning Insurance Claims? Quickly after discovery, fire crews worked to try and stop the fire spreading. High temperatures, extremely low humidity and high winds caused the fire to make a swift run toward Pine Valley. The Washington County Sheriff reported Monday that 13 homes have been destroyed by the fire. Nearly 700 fire personnel are responding to the Forsyth article source: Lightning caused nearly 9,000-acre Forsyth Fire in Utah, officials say
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
'Zero containment': Forsyth fire burns through Utah's Pine Valley; air crews, ground teams fight to contain blaze
(X/@HotshotWake) The Forsyth Fire burning in Pine Valley, Utah, United States, grew to 7,045 acres (approximately 28.5 sq km) overnight and continued to spread on Monday. Firefighters told FOX 13 News that they made their first significant breakthrough in 24 hours, crediting a slight increase in humidity and easing winds for the improved conditions. The massive fire, which began in the Pine Valley Mountains on Thursday, has destroyed infrastructure and forced some residents in rural southwest Utah to evacuate. The fire has spread rapidly, with at least 14 homes destroyed. As of Monday 5 pm local time, the wildfire was still reported at zero per cent containment. 🔥WILDFIRE RAGES: The Forsyth Fire in Utah nearly quadrupled in size over the weekend, destroying at least 14 homes. How smoke from the fire could impact air quality in the eastern US: — FOX Weather (@foxweather) June 23, 2025 Fire crews are focusing on preventing further damage by containing the blaze within the rugged canyons, where fewer structures are located. The smoke in the area has largely taken the form of a white haze, with hillside stained pink by fire retardant deployed during Sunday's air operations. Currently, five divisions of firefighters are active within the fire zone, with one team specifically assigned to structure protection. Over the past 24 hours, fire breaks have been burned around an equestrian campground and a cabin on Pine Valley's eastern side to eliminate fuel in the event that wildfire spreads further. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Authorities are maintaining strict access control to the fire affected areas. 'We don't want to have people in there and have a search and rescue operation on top of the firefighting,' Stevenson added. The firefighting efforts remain ongoing, as crews navigate challenging terrain in their bid to establish containment lines and protect surrounding communities.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
400 firefighters now working on southern Utah's Pine Valley fire
PINE VALLEY, Washington County — The battle against the fire on southern Utah's Pine Valley Mountains continues Sunday with 400 firefighters now at the scene. The federal Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team took over command of the blaze, dubbed the Forsyth Fire, on Sunday. The lightning-caused fire remains 0% contained and was last mapped Saturday at 1,640 acres. At last count, 14 homes and cabins and a few outbuildings were destroyed in the wildfire. Crews Saturday 'worked to extinguish hot spots in the valley bottom while continuing structure protection efforts. Over the coming days, operations staff will continue to identify safe and effective opportunities to engage the fire directly and seek containment. Firefighter and public safety are the top priority for this incident,' the team managing the fire said in a news release. Saturday evening, residents in Pinto and Grass Valley Road were urged to evacuate, Utah Fire Info said, after the fire Saturday afternoon 'pushed over a mile north and up over the next ridge, north of Pine Valley.' It was not immediately clear how many more residents are affected. The Pine Valley community evacuation included 450 homes. Fire officials said 'unseasonably dry fuels,' low humidity and strong winds continue to contribute to fire growth. 'Yesterday the fire crossed the main road in Pine Valley and made a run up the ridgetop to the north. (Sunday) will bring a slight relief from the winds the fire has experienced since Thursday. Winds will be out of the northwest in the morning and transition to a southwest wind in the afternoon. Spotting is expected to occur outside of the fire perimeter,' the team said. Gov. Spencer Cox is visiting Pine Valley and will hold a news conference at 2 p.m.
