Fire crews have seemingly stopped the Rocky Canyon Fire from spreading to Henefer, but officials say the mop up may take several weeks to complete.
The fire spanned 15,662 acres and was 40% contained as of Friday morning. Henefer residents who evacuated the area were allowed to return to their homes on Thursday, but the Summit County Sheriff’s Office warned that the blaze is still active and could require further evacuations as the situation evolves.
Summit County Sheriff Kacey Bates said the department’s priority is keeping residents safe, which includes protecting them from new debris and flooding risks. She said officials are committed to keeping the community updated and monitoring developments closely.
“We want to mention that S.R. 65 will remain closed, and the only people who will be allowed up into that area are residents,” Bates said during Thursday’s community meeting on the fire. “This is for fire crews’ safety. … They’re up there on the fire, so we want to make sure that we have the roads clear for them. They know where they are, and they can come around those turns quickly, and we want to make sure there aren’t any accidents up there.”
Officials said an increase in humidity and cloud cover has helped curtail the fire’s progress, but this week’s storms haven’t made as much of an impact as crews would have hoped. The most problematic area of the fire is the northern edge, which is on steep, rugged terrain, making it difficult for firefighters to attack.
Cleanup efforts will likely take a few weeks, and surrounding roads will remain closed as long as crews are working on the fire. Officials said firefighters will soon camp near the fire to tackle the blaze on foot, and aircraft will be called to support the scene as soon as the weather clears.
“People coming into the fire area are putting themselves into a hazardous situation, and if they are up on the roads and the trail systems up there, they could potentially be putting our firefighters in a hazardous situation as well,” said Jason Bolo, the incident commander. “We don’t want folks coming in with their UTVs and coming nose to nose with a giant crew buggy or a water tender or an engine.”
Bolo said residents traveling within the fire area are also dangerous because they can interfere with, and possibly halt, aircraft operations.
“If we have tankers coming in and we have community members who are out there, those community members don’t have a radio, so we cannot communicate with them,” Bolo said. “We’ve had to divert several tanker drops over the last couple of days because of community members who are in there. Please stay out of there. I cannot emphasize enough that we’re going to be in there for a while.”
North Summit Fire District Battalion Chief Tyler Rowser, who was born and raised in Summit County, said the outpouring of love and support for first responders has been heartwarming to see.
“This has been incredibly stressful for us, just like you guys,” Rowser said. “This is something we didn’t want to see in our community. We watched it in other parts of the state this year and hoped and prayed that it wouldn’t hit here, but it did. It’s been great to see the support for us during this time and for working with us for the evacuation process. We’ve seen so many donations from community members and people outside of our community, and we’re thankful for that.”
Rowser reassured residents that the North Summit Fire District has staffed its stations to respond to other emergencies, and he reminded the community not to call 911 to report smoke or flames within the fire area.
“We are grateful for the signs of support that we’ve seen out along the roads,” Rowser added. “We love this community, especially me. I told my guys the other day that they were literally protecting my brother’s house. I had a brother who was evacuated, so they’re doing this for my family, and I consider you all my family.”
Fire officials on Friday morning said the area had received moisture overnight, but they noted winds had the potential to push heat into unburned fuel pockets. Predicted moisture over the weekend may help, but it could also make the steep terrain even more dangerous for ground crews.
Echo Reservoir is open for recreational use, but officials urged residents and visitors to stay aware of aircraft and operations within the fire zone. The south end of East Canyon Reservoir is also open, but the northern end and main campground are closed.
“A helicopter mapping mission is planned (Friday) to more accurately capture the fire perimeter,” officials said. “Updated mapping will also help refine operation tactics and ensure resources are directed to priority areas. Crews will continue strengthening control lines, monitoring active pockets and adjusting tactics based on any incoming weather. While direct suppression work is the priority, crews will begin repair work in areas of containment if it is safe to do so.”
Information on the Rocky Canyon Fire is available through the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Fire Info and by visiting tinyurl.com/ym2jtc36.