MONROE — A fast-moving wildfire burning east of Monroe is now threatening 40 to 50 structures across Sevier County. Pushed by erratic winds and fueled by dry timber, the Monroe Canyon Fire has scorched 3,900 plus acres and remains 0% contained.
On Tuesday morning, new evacuation orders were put in place “for the area in Magelbys, and north on to Cove Mountain,” according to a Facebook post from the Sevier County Emergency Management.
The management team said everyone at the Elk County Cabins needed to prepare for evacuation by gathering personal belongings.
“You may not get another chance other than today,” the post said. “The way the winds are moving, the fire weather we are experiencing, and this fire not sleeping at night, it will carry across Magelby’s today and on to Cove.”
The group also asked that people avoid the area to give firecrews room to work.
Crews focus on protecting evacuated communities
The Central Utah Type 3 Incident Management Team assumed command of the fire at 6:00 a.m. Monday. Most activity has been concentrated on the southern portion of the mountain, where firefighters are prioritizing protection of structures in Manning Meadows, Monroe Meadows and Magleby.
Those areas were evacuated Sunday, and the evacuation order remains in effect.
“A lot of them are second homes, family cabins, family recreation spots, a lot of history up there,” said Kylee Stott, public information officer. “That’s where most of our efforts are today, which is pretty limited.”
Dangerous fire behavior prompts safety warnings
Officials are urging the public to stay off Monroe Mountain, avoid high-risk zones for their safety and allow firefighters full access to the area.
“Definitely seeing extreme fire behavior — pretty breezy, very very hot today, there is quite a column going,” Stott said. “Just heed the warning … the best thing is to have the public out so firefighters can do their job safely.”
Monroe Canyon Road is closed. More road and trail closures are anticipated.
Incoming support: complex incident management team arrives
Additional resources have been ordered, including Great Basin Team 3, led by Incident Commander Brett Waters. The team is expected to gather situational awareness Tuesday and officially assume command Wednesday morning.
“It comes down to having a lot more resources and availability to do more things and get folks in there,” Stott explained.
For real-time updates, check Utah Fire Info and the Sevier County Emergency Management Facebook Page.
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