By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
A wildfire started by humans began at the edge of
Interstate 15 on Thursday and spread across several hundred
acres of dry brush and up Birch Canyon on the face of Mount
Nebo in a matter of hours.
The Nebo Birch Fire is the third wildfire this year in
the Nebo Wilderness area and has burned through Birch Creek,
Wide and Willow Creek canyons.
The fire that has already burned 2,821 acres on Mount
Nebo is now 70 percent contained but continues to burn in
areas that are too steep for fire crews.
"Tuesday morning the fire was still trying to burn
down Willow Creek Canyon from the top," said Juab County
Sheriff David Carter. "The fire has burned into the heavy
pine growth at the top of the ridge."
He said firefighters were still fighting the blaze
from the air.
"They are dropping water on the pines trying to wet
them down to prevent the fire from spreading," Carter
said.
The fire spread rapidly on Thursday because of dry
terrain and heavy winds.
"The fire, though it is still under investigation, was
possibly started by the spark off the rim of a car which had
a flat tire," said Carter. "The fire burned through the dry
grass on the benches and, because of the high winds, it
burned from the bottom to the top of Birch Canyon, and
burned about 600 acres, in 20 minutes."
Fire investigators think the blaze started around 2
p.m. Thursday afternoon on private property six miles
northeast of Nephi.
Fire crews contained the fire burning in the foothills
Thursday night. "The problem has been that we were unable to
stop the blaze burning on the side of the mountain, which is
so rugged it is nearly inaccessible," said Birger.
Temperatures dropped slightly Friday, and light rain
aided firefighters on Mount Nebo on Saturday night. That
same rain, however, caused problems for firefighters in Juab
County.
"Two new fires were started west of Levan by
lightening strikes," Carter said. "Firefighters were able to
contain those fires during the night."
A wildfire this severe is uncommon for this late in
the season, and many of the experienced fire fighting teams
have disbanded for the year, U.S. Forest Service information
officer Dick Birger said.
The wildfire was classified as a Type I fire by Uinta
National Forest officials because of its size and the steep
and rugged terrain where the fire is burning.
"The team the forest service sent to fight the fire is
a Type II fire fighting team," said Birger.
Birger said many of the firefighters sent to fight the
fire on Thursday, when it first started, and those
continuing to work on the fire through part of Friday had
little or no experience fighting Type I forest fires.
The Type I fire fighting team was called in and took
control of efforts Friday night.
The fire burned several power poles and lines and the
water system in Birch Creek Canyon that service irrigation
needs for farmers in Mona and Nephi but no other structures
were damaged. Fire officials with the Uinta National Forest
are scheduled to meet with officials from both cities to
determine damage to the systems.
"Our search and rescue teams were sent to block roads
to keep spectators from getting in the way of firefighters
and getting themselves into danger," said Carter.
There are no campgrounds in the immediate area,
however, the muzzle-loader deer hunt was underway and there
were hunters on the mountain when the fire began.
"There were three hunters in the area who were on
foot," said Carter. "The forest service dropped them a
walkie-talkie from a helicopter so they could communicate
with the hunters and direct them as to the best way of
getting out."
Other hunters in the area made it to safety when they
saw the first plumes of smoke.
"We were asked by the forest service to close the
trail to the top of Nebo on both sides and my deputies and
members of the Search and Rescue got right in there, closed
roads, closed the trail and got people out," said Carter.
"We have been doing a lot of that this summer."
Four helicopters circled above the fire Sunday and
Monday, dropping retardant on areas inaccessible to the 360
firefighters working the blaze.
"We are confident we can contain the fire because it
is not making any big runs, it's just kind of burning around
up real high," said Birger.
Birger said the fire is no longer spreading up Willow
Creek Canyon, which is heavily wooded with dry timber. That
was the biggest concern for firefighters over the
weekend.
"We are cautiously optimistic that if the weather
stays in our favor and we can remain patient, things will
come together for us," said fire operations section chief
Bob Mallet.
Two air tankers and two helicopters dumped retardant
on the fire Thursday. The retardant will continue to be
dropped, as well as water, until the fire is contained.
The fire has burned through Birch Creek Canyon and on
the south face of Willow Creek Canyon.
"Our biggest concern was stopping the fire at Willow
Creek Canyon because there is so much timber there it could
burn for a very long time," said Loyal Clark, spokesperson
for the Uinta National Forest.
She said that by 7 p.m. Thursday smoke from the fire
had already turned the sky pink in Provo, which is more than
40 miles from Nephi. Heavy ash fell in Mona, Nephi,
Santaquin, Goshen, Payson and other small area cities.
"This is a tough fire because it is in such an
inaccessible area. It's just wilderness up there," Clark
said.
Thus far the fire has cost $525,000 to fight.
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