The Black Canyon Fire, burning along the border of Sanpete and Emery counties, has grown to 3,476 acres and remains at 0% containment, according to the incident's daily update published Sunday, August 9. The fire grew about 276 acres in 24 hours and has spread west toward Spring City.
The lightning-caused fire started July 30 and is burning in Black Canyon on the Ferron Ranger District of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, about 16 miles east of Ephraim and roughly 10 miles southeast of Spring City.
Resources assigned to the fire have grown to 401 personnel, including 13 crews, 19 engines, four dozers and two aircraft.
Structure protection continues in the Reeder Subdivision and Lowry Water areas, where crews have placed sprinklers and hose line as protective measures, and night operations have kept patrols in the Reeder Subdivision, Lowry Water and along Joe's Valley. Up to 60 structures, primarily cabins in the Reeder Subdivision, are threatened, and the Reeder Subdivision remains under a "GO" evacuation order issued by the Emery County Sheriff's Office.
Fire managers said higher relative humidity was moderating fire behavior heading into Monday, August 10, though isolated and group torching and short uphill runs were still observed. Isolated weak thunderstorms remained possible through Tuesday, August 11, with brief, erratic outflow gusts up to 35 mph possible near any storms.
Nevada Team 1, a Type 3 incident management team, was scheduled to assume command of the fire on Monday, August 10.
A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area, and officials warn that recreational drones force wildfire aircraft to shut down operations. The Manti-La Sal National Forest has also issued a temporary closure, Forest Order 04-10-26-02-02, for portions of the forest around the fire.
For current conditions, evacuation updates and smoke information, officials point residents to Utah Fire Info at utahfireinfo.gov, the fire's InciWeb incident page, the Emery County Sheriff's Office, and the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map at fire.airnow.gov. Fire information is also available by phone at (435) 485-5631 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
