ST. GEORGE — A brush fire in Arizona’s Kaibab National Forest about 35 miles south of Kanab has grown to 14,500 acres according to the U.S. Forest Service and continues to spread a smoke cloud north into Kane County.
The fire, burning since Friday, is now 2% contained and has caused additional road and forest closures. The north rim of Grand Canyon and Jacob Lake were closed and portions evacuated Friday, as well as portions of Arizona state Route 89A.
By Saturday evening, the restricted area in Kaibab National Forest had been expanded to all National Forest System lands within the boundary beginning at the junction of state Route 89A and its junction with Forest Road (FR) 422A, then following FR 422A south to its junction with FR 22, the Forest Service said.
Smoke from the fire is extending north and can be seen from Kanab. The Forest Service said in a wildfire smoke forecast that the smoke is not greatly impacting air quality but is expected to create a haze above Kane County that will extend as far west as Hurricane in Washington County.
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