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- The Yellow Lake Fire near Duchesne River, which began on Sept. 28, has rapidly expanded to nearly 20,000 acres with only 21% containment, prompting evacuation orders.
- Believed to be human-caused, the fire's spread has been exacerbated by red flag conditions and shifting winds, challenging ground and air firefighting efforts.
- Structures are under threat, particularly along the North Fork of Duchesne Ridge, and portions of state Route 35 remain closed.
DUCHESNE — A wildfire along the Duchesne River is continuing to spread, and officials are issuing evacuation orders.
The Yellow Lake Fire is burning about 30 miles east of Heber City and started on Sept. 28. Although the cause is still unknown, fire officials believe it was human-caused.
The fire has quickly spread to the now-19,903 acres, with only 21% containment, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Red flag conditions over the weekend only fueled the fire more, and variable winds have kept firefighters on their toes.
Ground and air crews have been battling the blaze, including three scooper planes dipping out of Strawberry Reservoir.
"A smoke inversion has settled into surrounding valleys, bringing some ash, but this does not indicate increased fire activity or threat," the Forest Service said. Smoky conditions were prevalent throughout many surrounding areas, even reaching into Utah County.
Structures are threatened along the North Fork of Duchesne Ridge, and evacuations are still in effect for the north and west forks of the Duchesne River. Residents in the Grandaddy Lakes area and Hanna are under a "ready order," and should be prepared for a potential evacuation.
A portion of state Route 35 was shut down last week due to the fire. On Tuesday, the forest service said a retardant line has strengthened the fuel break along that road.
A community meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m., at the Duchesne Fairgrounds. The event will be streamed on the Ashley and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest's Facebook pages.
