ST. GEORGE — The Halfway Hill Fire is now 10% contained and has burned 11,637 acres. Monsoonal moisture and less gusty wind conditions Wednesday aided firefighting efforts, according to a news release from the Great Basin Type 2 Incident Management Team.

Fire managers will update the public Friday at 7 p.m. during a community meeting at the City of Fillmore’s North Park Pavilion, 460 North Main. Members of the Incident Management Team, community leaders and agency representatives will provide an overview of fire suppression activities and answer questions, the news release said. 

Firefighting efforts have increased containment estimates to 10%, and fire managers cited a break in the weather and an uptick  in crews, equipment and air support as key contributors.

Also on Wednesday, helicopters delivered 62 firefighters to hard-to-access locations on the fire, slung 13,500 pounds of cargo and dropped thousands of gallons of water on active fire areas.  

The Millard County Sheriff’s Office and fire managers also lifted the Virginia Hills subdivision evacuation last evening. Residents had been displaced since the fire started on July 8, the news release said.

Prolonged drought conditions remain a concern for fire managers, though they were “optimistic” about progress made securing the fire perimeter and the approximately one-quarter inch of  rain parts of the fire received.

Still, fire behavior specialists cautioned the moisture would not begin to lessen the burn potential for a forest that has experienced prolonged drought. More rain showers and increased humidity have been forecasted for Thursday-Friday. The possibility of intense thunderstorms has firefighters on the lookout for slippery, muddy road conditions and lightning, the news release said.

The fire management team also reminds the public of the following:

Please be aware of increased traffic in and around the fire area, particularly during early morning and late evening hours. Safety of the public and firefighters is the first priority on this and all wildland fires. Residents returning to their homes will continue to see firefighters and equipment working in the vicinity, including  patrolling the sections of fireline now contained. 

The Fishlake National Forest has a closure order in place in the vicinity of the Halfway Hill Fire. Click here to access the closure order, including a full description of the trails roads, and areas closed, along with maps.

Press releases and news tips may be sent to [email protected]

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!