WILDFIRE
UPDATE: Big Hollow Fire in Heber 22% contained
Jul 16, 2020, 7:12 PM | Updated: Jul 17, 2020, 5:42 pm
(Photo Credit: Josh Furlong)
(Photo Credit: Josh Furlong)
SOUTH HEBER, Utah — The Big Hollow Fire burning just south of Heber, Utah, is now 22% contained. And fire officials say it has burned 418 acres.
They cite better weather conditions on Friday as helping them meet their containment goals.
Updated acreage on the #BigHollowFire 418 acres 22% contained. The firefighters worked hard today and did a great job of executing the plan and meeting the days objectives. Weather certainly helped.
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 17, 2020
Earlier, on Friday morning, officials said the fire had grown significantly overnight. It was reported to have burned roughly 80 acres of land Thursday night.
Big Hollow Fire at 500 acres. Mandatory evacuations were lifted last night at 11:30 pm. Voluntary evacuations remain in effect on Little Sweden road from Highway 40 to Daniels road.
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 17, 2020
Growing overnight
Fire officials in Wasatch County admit the blaze didn’t seem overly concerning late Thursday afternoon.
“It was looking pretty good,” explains Mike Eriksson, with the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. “Then once air resources had to leave, the wind picked-up a little bit.”
In fact, winds fueled the flames so much that 50 homes needed to be evacuated around 10 PM.
“Little Sweden Road they’ve done mandatory evacuations,” he explains.
As of Friday morning, those residents are being allowed back in their homes. At this time, no structures have been damaged.
(Photo Credit: Christopher Straughan)
Efforts to battle the blaze restarted around 6 a.m. on Friday morning.
It has already been determined that the fire was human-caused. An investigation into the matter is ongoing.
