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'Choke Cherry Fire' burns 700 acres in western Iron County

Choke Cherry Fire
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Posted at 6:02 AM, Apr 06, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-07 01:38:57-04

IRON COUNTY, Utah — A wildfire that started Monday afternoon in Iron County has burned about 700 acres near the Utah-Nevada border.

The "Choke Cherry Fire" started shortly before 3 p.m. Monday and has affected state, private and Bureau of Land Management lands, according to a news release from the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.

As of Tuesday evening, it was 25 percent contained.

Officials also said it was caused by a burn pile that wasn’t "cold to the touch," which resulted in ashes being blown around by the wind.

The fire caused some local road closures and threatened five structures.

RELATED: Iron County wildfire visible from Cedar City

Red Flag fire conditions and drought-stressed Pinyon Juniper trees, grass and brush has led to fire behavior seen normally in July, the news release says.

Firefighters have halted the forward progress of the fire with the aid of bulldozers and aerial firefighting measures.