WASATCH COUNTY, Utah — Fire crews are making progress in containing a wildfire that broke out Sunday in Wasatch County.
The Flat Line fire sparked Sunday afternoon within Wasatch Mountain State Park, between Jordanelle Reservoir and Heber City.
Mike Eriksson, an area manager with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, told FOX 13 News Monday that the fire had burned 25 acres and was 30 percent contained.
The Alta Hotshots and Dromedary Peak hand crews have spent a majority of the day working to keep the fire under control.
"Just taking the back edge direct as much as possible, then putting hand line in to separate the fire's edge from the vegetation on the ground, removing snags," Alta Hotshots Superintendent Tyler Carruth said.
Carruth and his team of 24 members are getting back in the thick of things. The Flat Line Fire is their first wildfire of the year.
"We have to watch ourselves too," he said. "We're kind of a hazard, in a sense, and we're still knocking the dust off. We need to keep eyes on each other."
Officials have said the fire was human-caused, but haven't stated an exact cause yet.
Eriksson said they normally don't get a fire like this until June.
"Most all of Utah is going to be warmer than average for the next three months, which isn't good for fires," he said.
That's why he hopes people will be careful as we inch closer to the summer months.
"If we can cut down on the human-caused ones, we will just worry about mother nature and see what she does this summer," said Eriksson.
For the Alta Hot Shots, this fire has served as on-the-job training of sorts.
The crew will have their base review on Thursday before being allowed to be deployed across the country to help with wildfires.
"I think we're ready. I'm very happy with the crew this year," said Carruth.
Carruth said his crew plans to be out keeping an eye on things and mopping up the perimeter of the Flat Line fire through Wednesday.
