AMERICAN FORK — A campground in American Fork Canyon was evacuated after a wildfire broke out late Thursday, while a popular reservoir in the area is also closed for firefighting operations.
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The Timp Fire was first reported shortly after 11 p.m., burning an estimated 5 acres, according to the U.S. Forest Service. It remained 0% contained Friday morning.
The Timpooneke Campground and Mutual Dell area have been evacuated, the agency said. Timpooneke Road is closed at Alpine Loop Road, while the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said it was working with the U.S. Forest Service to close Tibble Fork Reservoir on Friday to help firefighters in their air operations to attack the fire.
U.S. forest officials are urging people not to stop along American Fork Canyon and Alpine Loop Road to watch the fire, noting that stopped vehicles can create traffic hazards for firefighters.
A few trails in the area are also closed, according to Utah County Commissioner Skyler Beltran.
“It’s best to just avoid the area today,” he wrote on social media. “The U.S. Forest Service is actively managing the fire. Please also remember not to fly drones near the fire or the reservoir.”
It’s unclear what caused the wildfire, but it’s not the only one that broke out in Utah County on Thursday.
State fire officials said lightning sparked a fire west of Utah Lake near Saratoga Springs. The Twenty Two Fire quickly burned 41 acres but was also listed as 75% contained by Thursday night.
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Updates on ongoing Utah fires
Excessive heat is forecast throughout Utah this weekend and into early next week, which is expected to dry out the state even more.
Wind gusts of up to 30 mph and relative humidity as low as 6% are forecast in southwest Utah on Friday, combining with the heat to create critical fire weather there. The National Weather Service issued another red flag warning for the region, including where the Cottonwood Fire burns east of Beaver.
The wildfire grew a little on Thursday, now burning 97,130 acres since it ignited June 22. It remains 58% contained, with 1,175 personnel assigned to battling it on Friday, per Great Basin Incident Management Team officials, who assumed command of the fire this week.
Meanwhile, containment is now up to 88% on the Wild Goose Fire near Holden, Millard County. The lightning-caused fire has burned 12,665 acres since June 26, and 400 firefighters remain assigned to battling it.
The Babylon Fire, Utah’s largest fire so far this year, is now up to 25% contained as well, as crews gain ground on it. It has now burned 103,633 acres, remaining the largest active fire in the U.S.
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