KANOSH, Utah — Officials in Millard and Sevier Counties are updating the evacuation orders due to the Widemouth 2 Fire, which has grown to over 87,000 acres on Wednesday.
As of Wednesday at Noon, Fillmore residents from 500 South and Baker Lane, in the area extending west and south, should be prepared for evacuation. That includes eastern portions of Highway 99 south to just past the Great Lakes Cheese Plant.
In the Meadow area, residents are also being put into the SET status, from Meadow Canyon Road on the north south to 4400 South.
Residents are being told to monitor social media for the latest information as officials determine the next steps.
Winds have been shifting in Millard County, where the fire is burning, and further growth is possible, especially a spread into nearby canyons. After a small, brief break from the heat, high temperatures are also expected to return, making things more difficult for crews fighting the flames.
"We've got crews that are out on the fire working to engage it. We're employing what's known as a direct extinguishment/indirect containment strategy," explained Karl Hunt with the U.S. Forest Service. "So we're trying to engage the fire where we can, when we can, when it's safe for firefighters to do so."
As of Tuesday, there are 420 crew battling the fire, with hopes for more on the way.
"We're a little thin on resources, but that's kind of the story across the west with the fire activity that we've seen," said Hunt. "But we have orders out for more crews, and when the crews come available, we're trying to get those orders filled so that we can continue to put in the good work that has been done."
The Widemouth 2 Fire, along with the other wildfires that have burned through Utah this summer, has amounted to the second highest year in acreage burned in state history.
Fire officials speak to community members in meeting below:
Evacuations for those in Kanosh are on Turkey Track Lane, Cemetery Road, and south of 300 South.
Homes in Fillmore east of State Route 99 between 500 South and Baker Lane are also in an evacuation zone.
In Meadow, residents east of State Route 133 (Main Street) from Cemetery Road (4400 South) to Reservation Drive (7200 South) have been ordered to evacuate.
An emergency shelter for evacuees has been set up at the old National Guard Armory in Fillmore, located at 45 W. Center Street.
Because of the fire, 40 inmates at the Millard County Jail were moved to the Utah State Correctional Facility earlier this week.
The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah has declared a state of emergency for the Kanosh Band Reservation, and all tribal members are being told to go to the Fillmore Armory at 45 W. Center Street for immediate shelter.
