Evacuations lifted after snow spells good news for Yellow Lake Fire
Oct 19, 2024, 10:18 AM
Kamas Valley - Yellow Lake fire smoke out. (KSL TV)
(KSL TV)
HANNA, Duchesne County — Rain and snow fell on the Yellow Lake Fire on Friday, and evacuations have been lifted, but the fight against the fire isn’t over yet.
The U.S. Forest Service said they recorded 1.23 inches of precipitation in the area of the fire that has been burning in Wasatch and Duchesne Counties since September 28. The forest service said evacuations in those counties had been lifted on Saturday. Forest closures still remain in effect.
Map shows the extent of the Yellow Lake Fire. Red area shows fire boundaries, while black edge on the south end shows contained area. (U.S. Forest Service)
“Personnel numbers on the Yellow Lake Fire continue to decline as operations ramp down,” the Forest Service said in a press release. “Six days ago, 889 personnel were on the fire – today there are 433.”
Although operations have been ramping down, the fire is not out. Officials reported the fire is still at roughly 33,000 acres and at 30% containment.
Despite the rain and snow, aircraft using infrared technology detected significant heat around the north side of the fire area, the Forest Service said. Crews expect the weather to warm up over the weekend, which could lead to more smoke, but they don’t anticipate the fire will grow.
Read the full story at KSLTV.com
