MORGAN COUNTY, Utah — During the overnight hours, the Rocky Canyon Fire, which has forced evacuations in parts of Summit County, was the most active it has been since it started; however, officials said that crews have been "extremely successful" in mopping up hotspots.
As of Tuesday, the fire is now 23 percent contained and estimated at 14,600 acres.
Later in the afternoon, swirling winds returned, and the newest challenge is keeping the fire from jumping over the ridgeline and moving into Morgan County.
“It’s not a large possibility, but there is some area of concern if that fire does push over the ridge, as Morgan and those areas are on the other side of it," said spokesperson Sierra Hellstrom. "So, it’s not an imminent threat, but we are trying to be proactive and prevent that from happening.”
Hot shot crews were transported by helicopter and dropped onto the mountain to try to prevent fire breaks. In all, there are nearly 300 firefighting personnel on the ground dealing with the wildfire, and a team of three helicopters continuously dropping buckets of water on critical spots.
Overnight, the outflow winds near Henefer pushed the fire onto itself, which slowed its growth on the northern perimeter.
Because of the recent success in fighting the fire, residents who were under an evacuation order to leave homes along Highway 66 are now allowed to return, with the understanding that those orders may change if conditions worsen.
Highway 66 remains closed, and no one will be permitted to use the road to travel to East Canyon Reservoir.
Evacuations remain in place for Henefer residents, including those west of Main Street between East Canyon Road and South Henefer Road.
An evacuation shelter is available at a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse at 40 N. Main Street in Coalville.
The fire, first detected on Friday, has jumped State Route 65, which connects Henefer and East Canyon Reservoir.
Earlier, on Sunday morning, an evacuation order was issued for homes from Whites Crossing to East Canyon Dam, with fire officials citing an ongoing burn operation. A shelter has been set up at the MHS Trojan Century Center at 699 East Young Street in Morgan.
State Routes 65 and 66 are closed in the vicinity of the blaze, and firefighting helicopters are using East Canyon Reservoir for water drops.
Officials said it was human-caused, but no exact cause has been determined.
