By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
A fire Sunday, on the back of Mount Nebo, was kept from
burning up the side of the mountain taking with it a
well-used campground by the speedy response of fire fighting
equipment and personnel.
David Carter, Juab County Sheriff, said the fire began
behind the Ponderosa Campground in an area south of Donkey
Pasture.
"I know it was the quick response of fire fighters
that kept it from burning up the whole side of the
mountain," said Carter.
Within just a short time, a helicopter and a sky crane
were called to the fire, he said. The sky crane dumped 2,000
gallons of water per load.
A fire fighting airplane was also called out and
dropped five loads of retardant on the fire.
"Within just a short time, there were two helicopters
working at the site," said Carter.
Water for the effort was taken from the old upper
power plant pond, he said.
"We called out our Juab Search and Rescue people,"
said Carter. "They helped evacuate the canyon and get
campers out of the area. Those units which did not have
people around them were taken to the Juab County Sheriff's
Compound and were safely kept there for their owners."
He said Search and Rescue members also manned road
blocks to keep travelers from going into the fire zone. They
also controlled traffic around the pond so that the
helicopters could load water.
One of the female Forest Service fire fighters
suffered heat exhaustion and was transported by East Juab
County Ambulance to Central Valley Medical Center where she
was treated and later released.
"The fire was contained in about five hours because of
the team effort of the fire fighters from the Juab County
Fire District and the Forest Service," said Carter. "Casey
Reynolds, our county fire marshal, was also on the
scene."
Carter said, in his opinion, the efforts of the county
fire district fire fighters Reynolds, and the Search and
Rescue team needed to be applauded. The group has worked
well together, he said.
"I know because of the way they have worked together
this summer, many of the fires have been put out quickly and
have been kept at a minimum of acres," said Carter.
"We have just seen a great team effort this year,"
said Carter.
Because of the rapid response of fire fighters, he
said, the fire had been kept to an estimated 40 acres.
"It could easily have become another Mollie Fire," he
said. "The conditions are extremely dry."
The cause of the fire is still under investigation,
said Carter.
Dozens of small, lightning-sparked fires occurred on
Wednesday, Aug. 22.
About 39,000 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes were
recorded over Utah, Western Colorado, northern Arizona and
southwestern Wyoming, National Weather Service meteorologist
Larry Dunn said.
The Mollie Fire, at 7,791 acres, is 46 percent
contained, said fire information officer Dick Markley. Crews
successfully finished building a fire line around the
northern edge of the blaze, which was "high priority"
because south and southeast winds could have pushed the fire
to the north to threaten the Utah County communities of
Woodland Hills and Elk Ridge.
Crews also are building a line around the fire's
eastern edge, where progress has been slower because of
rugged terrain, Markley said. Containment is expected by
Friday at 6 p.m., Markley said. Costs to date are $1.1
million.
The Quarry Fire, about 30 miles northwest of Nephi,
was controlled Wednesday night, Bureau of Land Management
range technician Dona Rees said.
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