TOOELE COUNTY, Utah — Two of the remaining evacuation orders connected to the Iron and Cherry wildfires in northern Utah have been lifted.
The Tooele County Sheriff's Office said residents of the Lofgreen area were allowed to return to their homes at noon Monday. The area, along with Vernon Reservoir, had been under evacuation orders since Friday, when both fires expanded during a chaotic period in the evening.
The evacuation order for Vernon Reservoir was also lifted, and SR-36 has been reopened.
As Lofgreen residents return home, their evacuation status has switched to SET, meaning everyone should be prepared to evacuate again should the need arise.
"Thank you to our residents for your patience and cooperation. We also appreciate the hard work and dedication of the fire personnel who have worked tirelessly to battle this fire," the sheriff's office said.
Officials also announced Tuesday that the Cherry Fire was caused by lightning. The Iron Fire was human-caused, although officials say the exact cause is still under investigation.
Ranchers deal with grim reality in aftermath of Cherry Fire:
Firefighting crews used improved weather conditions on Sunday to make good progress on both fires.
As of 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, the Iron Fire was 98 percent contained after burning over 41,842 acres, while the Cherry Fire southwest of Mammoth is 89 percent contained at 34,252 acres, according to Utah Fire Info.
On Sunday, evacuation orders for the towns of Eureka, Mammoth and Silver City were lifted.
