West Valley Fire containment reaches 46 percent

Fire crews staging on the west flank of the West Valley Fire near Mill Canyon, Utah, July 4, 2018 | Photo courtesy of InciWeb, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The West Valley Fire, which ignited on Pine Valley Mountain June 27, has now reached 46 percent containment thanks to the personnel working the fire and favorable weather conditions.

Map shows the perimeter of the West Valley Fire Washington County, Utah, as of July 8, 2018, with surrounding road and trail closures | Image courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service, St. George News | Click on image to enlarge

The fire was 11,785 acres in size as of Sunday morning. There are 442 personnel fighting the blaze, which started from a abandoned campfire. According to a news release issued by Color Country Interagency Fire, Sunday’s weather also contributed to the increased containment. The lower temperatures and light winds helped lower active fire behavior.

Read more: Southern Utah weekend weather forecast: Chance of rain after weeks of heat, wildfires

The changes in weather allowed firefighters to complete work on hot spots, which resulted in an increased fire perimeter.

With the increase in containment, the amount of crews will begin to decrease. Backhaul of equipment has already begun, but crews will continue to battle the fire in the coming days. Structure protection groups will continue to monitor any areas with potential risk of burning. As the fire reaches further containment, firefighters will begin leaving the Pine Valley area.

Officials are reminding residents that Stage II fire restrictions are still in place. Check Utah Fire Info for current fire restrictions in your area.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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1 Comment

  • jaltair July 8, 2018 at 8:52 pm

    Any perps caught? I hope they will be, and then charged and forced to pay the costs.

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