A new fire sparked near the mouth of Weber Canyon early Wednesday, burning between 15 and 20 acres and prompting a road closure near the flames.
The fire, called the Dugway Fire, threatened homes above East Bybee Drive, according to communication and prevention specialist Kelly Wickens of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.
Adjacent to East Bybee Drive, East 6500 South was closed as crews sought to contain the perimeter of the fire, which Utah Fire Info said was at 0% containment as of 9:16 a.m.
No evacuations were ordered, although a resident told KSL she was on standby for evacuation since 3:30 a.m.
Multiple agencies responded to the blaze. Wickens said many of the firefighters are local to the area, meaning they know the roads around the communities well to better tackle the fires.
“All focus is being placed on the area where we’re seeing the flames,” Wickens said.
As of about 9:58 a.m., traffic reports showed delays on U.S. Route 89 approaching Interstate 84. Uintah officials asked people to avoid the area around the fire if possible and to use “extreme caution” should anyone need to travel near the canyon. Wickens highly recommends finding an alternate route around the fire.
Wickens said firefighters would stay aware of changing weather conditions, as wind coming through Weber Canyon, coupled with hot, dry conditions, may cause the fire to grow.
“So far, we’re hearing good things” from firefighters on the scene, Wickens said.
Power was out in the affected areas between 4 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., according to Jona Whitesides with Rocky Mountain Power. She said smoke can conduct electricity, which could arc down from active power lines and potentially strike first responders near the lines or spread flames to new areas.
Whitesides said the emergency de-energization impacted about 1,800 customers.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
This story will be updated.