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Press Release

8/14/2016

Manti-La Sal National Forest

Sanpete Ranger District

 PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: August 14, 2016           

Contact: Terry Stemmler, Public Information Officer, 724-493-2136

 

Wildfire Update – Porcupine Fire

 

Location: Porcupine Ridge, Approximately 7 miles southeast of Mayfield, UT

 

Elevation: 9,500 feet                          Cause: Lightning

 

Start Date: Saturday, July 23, 2016

 

Jurisdiction: Sanpete Ranger District, Manti La-Sal National Forest

 

Fire Size: Approximately 388 acres

 

Fire Summary:  The fire continues to creep and smolder through patchy fuels. Tactics are designed to minimize risk to firefighters and achieve resource objectives. Control lines are in place to check fire spread to the north. A primary goal is to reduce fuels while conditions are ideal to create a more resilient landscape that will prevent larger, more extreme fires in the future. Other objectives are to clean up old dead and down wood and reduce conifer encroachment in aspen. Fuels are a mix of grass, subalpine fir and other conifers mixed with aspen. Weather over the fire today: mostly sunny, 75 degrees, humidity 15-17%. Crews are expected to use aerial ignition over the fire today and tomorrow.

 

Closures:

Road and trail closures remain in place to ensure public and firefighter safety during fire operations. Roads and trails affected by the Porcupine Fire closure area include:

1.)    Forest Road 1248 (Porcupine Ridge Road from Forest Road 0159 to junction with Beaver Creek Road (Forest Road 0290)

2.)    Forest Road 1212 (From Forest Road 0159 to junction with Porcupine Ridge Road (Forest Road 1248)

3.)    Forest Road 1272 (From Forest Road 1212 to the end of the road)

4.)    Forest Trail 5127 (From Forest Road 0159 to Forest Road 1248)

5.)    Forest Road 0159 (From Forest Road 0290 to junction Forest Road 1252)

6.)    Forest Road 1252 (From Forest Road 0159 to Forest Trail 5182)

7.)    Forest Trail 5181 (From Forest Road 1252 to junction Forest Road 0159)

     These roads are restricted to vehicles under 2000 lbs. GVW and will have a 10 mph speed limit:

• Beaver Creek Road (FSR #0290)

These closures will be in effect from the date signed until August 31, unless rescinded.

 

Structures: No structures threatened.

Percent Contained: 0%

 

Fire Crews/Resources: The Skyline Handcrew and Tushar Mountain Wildland Fire Use Module will be monitoring the fire, improving control lines, and conducting burnout operations.

For more information on fires in Utah visit www.utahfireinfo.gov.
For more information on fires across the country, visit www.inciweb.org