Eastern Idaho firefighters help fight country’s largest wildfire in southern Utah
More than two dozen firefighters from Eastern Idaho arrived in Southern Utah Monday to help battle the country’s largest wildfire, outside of Cedar City.
The Brian Head Fire has burned more than 48,000 acres and prompted the evacuation of 1,500 people from hundreds of homes and cabins.
Thirty members of the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service will spend 14 days helping to get the fire under control. The BLM said crews will perform a variety of tasks.
“They will be out helping suppress the fire, do mop up, control the fire line and do some structure assessment,” Kelsey Griffee, fire prevention and information specialist , said.
The Madison Fire Department out of Rexburg sent a fire engine with five firefighters and paramedics to help as well, according to Griffee.
In a statement, Incident Commander Tim Roide said Sunday was “a good day for firefighters, who were able to have success securing areas of particular concern, including the many structures affected by the Brian Head Fire.”
Officials say the fire currently covers nearly 67 square miles and is 10 percent contained.
Officials say firefighters on Sunday put in barriers against the flames, and air tankers dropped fire retardant in anticipation of winds coming in from the southwest on Monday.
