Hundreds of firefighters to head to Utah
SPANISH FORK, UTAH >> A raging Utah wildfire driven by high winds in dry terrain has the potential to decimate hundreds of homes if firefighters cannot get a handle on it in the next couple of days, the governor said Friday.
Gov. Gary Herbert, who spoke at the fairgrounds in Spanish Fork after getting a briefing from fire officials, said the terrain, visibility and wind are making things difficult.
“Boy, if you’ve got any sway with the man upstairs, let’s see what we can do to help with the weather,” Herbert said.
As of Friday, the blaze south of Spanish Fork grew to more than 106 square miles. Authorities ordered evacuations in three communities. Spanish Fork is about 50 miles south of Salt Lake City.
No homes have been reported damaged.
More than 430 personnel are working on the fire. But, according to Herbert, that figure will balloon to at least 1,000 as more aircraft, helicopters and ground resources get into place. A Type 1 incident management team is already present.
Aircraft were set to drop retardant and water on the fire earlier in the day, said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Suzie Tenhagen.
“Their main focus today is protecting those folks’ homes,” she said.
Herbert said the situation remains difficult as long as firefighters don’t have a perimeter established around the fire.
Lorene Miller told KUTV that she’s lived in the small community of Woodland Hills for 12 years and it was the first time she had to leave her home. She loaded up her kids’ baby pictures and videos and fled when authorities raised the alarm.
“There’s nothing we can do about it but pray, I guess,” said Miller, one of hundreds who took refuge at a high school evacuation center.
The hot, windy weather that has created tinderbox conditions in the area is expected to continue into the weekend.