Human-caused Utah fire explodes to 37,172 acres, sends Eureka residents fleeing

Evacuations began across parts of Utah on Saturday night as the Iron Fire remained 0% contained. By Sunday, it had spread to 21,935 acres and then 37,172 acres by Wednesday morning at just 17% contained across Juab, Utah, and Tooele counties.

The Daily Herald reported that the human-caused fire remained a serious threat even though no primary structures were destroyed overnight, according to authorities.

The state is facing several fires, including the similarly major Cottonwood Fire. 

What happened?

The Iron Fire started at 10:45 p.m. Friday on private land and then crossed onto Bureau of Land Management property, Utah Forestry, Fire, and State Lands spokeswoman Kelly Wickens told the Daily Herald.

Strong winds Saturday helped the fire expand quickly, sending smoke and ash into Utah Valley and making the flames visible from Provo.

From there, things began to move quickly for Eureka residents, who were placed on "ready" status around 6 p.m. and told to prepare go-bags. About 15 minutes later, the fire was reported within 2 miles of town, triggering evacuations for ranches north of the city. Around 8:30 p.m., officials widened the evacuation order after the blaze crossed a threshold near Eureka, per the Daily Herald.

Meanwhile, the Cottonwood Fire in another part of the state has raged even further, reaching 59,000 acres as of Wednesday reporting from KUTV.

Why does it matter?

Drier landscapes and longer fire seasons can make human-caused blazes more destructive and harder to contain. In Utah, Wickens said drought and low snowpack are contributing to fires that are larger than normal for this point in the year. 

In addition to displacing people, extreme weather events such as wildfires can also put lives and livelihoods at risk by increasing smoke exposure, raising the chances of injury, damaging infrastructure, and straining emergency services.

What's being done?

On Sunday, emergency crews were focused on reinforcing the fire perimeter around Eureka while preparing for a transition to a more robust management team.

"Thank you to our federal, state, and local responders; Juab County Emergency Management; the Red Cross; law enforcement; and all those supporting this effort." Utah Fire Info stated, per the Daily Herald.

As of Wednesday morning, the Iron Fire had grown to 37,172 acres and was 17% contained, according to KUTV 2 News meteorologist Chase Thomason. 

In the meantime, a Latter-day Saints chapel in Elberta was opened for evacuees. Thomason reported that fire crews were anticipating a "challenging weather day," with dry lightning, gusty winds, low humidity, and hot temperatures on the slate for Wednesday afternoon. 

"As the complexity has increased, we will likely be looking at a multiday event," Wickens said, per the Daily Herald, noting summer monsoons could help improve conditions.

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