UPDATED: Yellow Lake Fire containment efforts progress despite heavy smoke; now 18% contained

Yellow Lake Fire ass seen from the Jordanelle Reservoir on Thursday evening, Oct. 3, 2024. Photo: Town Lift // Randi Sidman-Moore

The public is prohibited from entering the area, including all pedestrian, hiking, equestrian, bicycle, and motorized traffic. The closure includes Wolf Creek and Mill Hollow Campgrounds and may be in effect through Oct 31

Updated at 10:12 a.m.  – Fire crews have contained 18% of the Yellow Lake Fire, which has grown to 3,112 acres, officials reported Friday morning. With the increased acreage, the containment percentage has decreased slightly. A red flag warning is in effect, and the area continues to see unseasonably high warm and dry conditions.

Recent Progress: Firing operations successfully reduced unburned fuel, limiting further spread.
Highway Status: Highway 35 remains closed for 24-48 hours due to fire activity.
Safety Measures: Structure defenses in place at YMCA camp and ranger station.
Forest Closure: Closures in effect for Uinta-Wasatch-Cache and Ashley National Forests due to ongoing risks.

The YMCA camp and ranger station remain safe, with structure protection complete and sprinklers and hose-lay in place for added defense. The previous logging and vegetation thinning done in this area made the structures much more defensible, officials said.

WASATCH COUNTY, Utah — Although heavy smoke from the Yellow Lake Fire billowed into the sky Thursday afternoon, fire officials report that the effort to contain the fire is moving in the right direction. Firefighters worked yesterday  to reduce available fuel and speed up containment efforts. Successful firing operations did increase smoke in the area, but according to Utah Fire Info, the fire is now 22% contained and covers approximately 2,593 acres.

“The firing operations were highly successful, and only one small spot fire occurred, but it remained within the planned perimeter,” said a Utah Fire Info Facebook post. “These operations allow fire to burn the understory in a mosaic pattern, leaving patches of green fuel between the burned areas, which decreases tree mortality,” the agency added.

In response to the ongoing activity, the U.S. Forest Service has implemented a full closure of the Yellow Lake Fire Area, including roads, campgrounds, trails, and parking lots in the Heber-Kamas Ranger District. The closure, which began on October 3, will remain in effect until October 31, 2024, unless rescinded earlier.

“The public is prohibited from entering the area, including all pedestrian, hiking, equestrian, bicycle, and motorized traffic,” according to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service.

The closure encompasses several popular areas, including Wolf Creek and Mill Hollow Campgrounds, as well as stretches of Highway 150 and 35.