Evacuations have been mandated in Tooele County as a result of the rapidly expanding Maple Peak Fire and Cherry Fire near the county boundary.
According to Iron Fire Public Information Officer Toby Weed, the Maple Peak Fire has combined with the original Cherry Fire, resulting in a blaze that is currently consuming approximately 20,000 acres. This merged fire is now referred to as the “Cherry Fire.”
ABC4 has a team on-site reporting that officials have confirmed the merging of two fires, which are now estimated to be consuming a total of approximately 20,000 acres.
have been mandated for several areas in Tooele as the fire poses a growing threat to the region. The affected locations include: Vernon Reservoir and Lofgreen Area.
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Maple Peak Fire and Cherry Fire: Locals speak about smoke and wilfire risks
Residents Rebecca and Jared Richardson, who live in Lofgreen, stated that they saw that the fire had already crossed Highway 36 and was endangering our neighbors across the street. It appeared as a massive wall of smoke advancing towards us, which was quite daunting, the local added.
Evacuation in Eureka, Mammoth, and Silver City
All residents of Eureka, Mammoth, and are required to evacuate immediately. They are advised to head eastbound on Highway 6. A shelter will be set up at the Elberta church.
This directive follows an earlier “Imminent Threat Alert” issued for residents of Eureka on Friday. The Juab County Sheriff’s Office has indicated that residents of Eureka, Mammoth, and Silver City should “be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.”
Certain areas are currently under a “GO” status, prompting evacuees to proceed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Vernon, which is designated as an evacuation centerm, as per the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office.
Highway Fire: Motorists urged to avoid area
Additionally, the “Highway Fire” is actively burning near the southwest side of SR-36. Consequently, SR-36 has been closed at the intersection with SR-6 and the Juab/Tooele County Line. Motorists are urged to steer clear of this region due to significant fire activity being observed.
Motorists are kindly requested to avoid the vicinity and adhere to all instructions provided by emergency personnel.
Furthermore, the Cherry Fire has been confirmed to cover approximately 500 acres and is demonstrating “extreme fire behavior.”
Utah County declares state of emergency
Meanwhile, Utah County Commissioner Skyler Beltran said that the county is facing a critical situation due to the severe wildfires in the region and the elevated risk of fire.
The declaration of a State of Emergency is intended to enable the county to obtain additional resources, while also indicating that there is currently no immediate threat to the residents of Utah County.
“We have utilized a tremendous amount of our resources (very early in the traditional fire season schedule) responding to the Iron Fire and continue to face ongoing recovery concerns,” the statement said. “This was even before the Maple Peak and Cherry fires, which have now merged and are moving toward the Iron Fire.”
Multiple other fires are currently active in Tooele and Juab Counties. In addition to the Iron Fire, the “Highway Fire” located on the southwest side of SR-36 has resulted in the closure of SR-36 at the intersection of SR-6 and SR-36, as well as at the Juab/Tooele County Line.
At this moment, no further information is accessible. ABC4 will keep a close watch on the situation and will offer updates through both broadcast and online platforms.
