Trailheads, Power Lines Threatened In Kane County Fire
Jun 27, 2020, 2:56 PM | Updated: Jul 13, 2023, 11:37 am
Credit: Utah Fire Info
KANAB, Utah — A new wildfire has broken out in Kane County. The Wire Pass Fire, located near the Wire Pass Trailhead, was originally estimated to be 400-600 acres in size, but grew to about 1,500 acres.
Fire officials advised caution when leaving the area Saturday afternoon.
Hikers and campers near the Wire Pass Trail, Buckskin Trail, The Wave, and Stateline Campground had to be evacuated as the blaze was threatening trails, trailheads, and power lines.
House Rock Valley Road was eventually closed.
#WirePassFire update.
Evacuations: Hikers are being evacuated from the vicinity of Wire Pass Trail, Buckskin Trail, The Wave and Stateline Campground. Closures: House Rock Valley Road is now closed. pic.twitter.com/5e71lbzRnF— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) June 27, 2020
Officials said the smoke was a safety concern.
The fire started on the west side of House Rock Valley Road, then moved to the east side around 4:00 p.m, said David Hercher with the Bureau of Land Management.
Ground crews and air support were focusing on keeping it from moving further into the wilderness, as strong winds were expected Sunday afternoon.
Lt. Alan Alldredge with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office said they have about 70 people fighting the blaze, including a type-3 crew and some support from Magnum Fire.
He said they safely evacuated all hikers and campers that they could. Those who were still in the canyon were considered safe.
The cause is under investigation.
Hikers in the vicinity of Wire Pass & The Wave are being evacuated. No roads are closed at this time, but motorists should use caution when vacating the area as fire crews are actively responding and smoke across House Rock Valley Rd. is a safety concern.
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) June 27, 2020
The fire was estimated to be 1,535 acres around 5:45 p.m. Saturday.
