A fast-moving wildfire near La Sal in San Juan County prompted evacuations Thursday after growing to 4,000 acres in a matter of hours.
Officials ordered residents along Deer Creek Road to evacuate as the blaze threatened approximately 10 homes. An evacuation center was established at the local Community Center for anyone displaced.
The fire, first reported around 1:40 p.m., demonstrated explosive growth. Initially reported at 50 acres, it expanded to between 200 and 600 acres by early evening. By 10 p.m., Utah Fire Info confirmed the fire had scorched 4,000 acres.
Kayli Guild, a spokesperson for Utah’s Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, confirmed the number of threatened structures but could not say if any had burned.
In response to the fire, the Utah Department of Transportation closed State Route 46 in both directions about three miles east of La Sal. With the town situated just 12 miles from the Colorado border, crews from the Colorado State Patrol were also dispatched to assist.
The cause of the fire and the total number of people affected by the evacuations have not yet been released. The public has been instructed to avoid the area.
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