William Fire Update Sept. 20, 2020

September 20, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.

Location: 2 miles south of Santaquin, UT                                              

Start Date: September 6, 2020                                                             

Phone: 1-435-414-9418

Email: [email protected]

Cause: Human caused, target shooting                                                  

Acres: 5,832

Containment: 62%                                                                              

Personnel Assigned: 260

Current Status: A slopover was located near the fire’s southern perimeter in North Creek drainage, and firefighters hiked in yesterday. The slopover is estimated at 2 to 5 acres. Firefighters were able to utilize helicopter bucket drops, and will continue suppression efforts with the support of a National Guard helicopter arriving on the incident today.

Resources will continue prep work for Management Action Points and will assess work that will be needed east of the fire to protect infrastructure at Tinney Flat campground and Camp Koholowo if the event fire activity increases and moves in that direction.

An Infrared (IR) mapping mission was completed last night to assist fire managers in locating hot spots and verifying the location of the fire perimeter. Observation of fire in Wilderness continues via air resources and firefighters will use bucket drops as needed to minimize fire spread on the southeast portion of the fire.

There are closures on Pole Canyon Road and the Mona Pole Road (Forest Service road #600/#160) and details can be found on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest website https://www.fs.usda.gov/uwcnf. We ask that the public stay away from the area for the safety of the firefighters and the public.

Hunters with limited entry Bull Elk tags, please check your unit, be sure to stay out of the closure area. We aim to keep the public and firefighters safe, your aim will help.

Weather: Today a warming and drying trend begins. Temperatures are predicted to be in the upper 80s with relative humidity in the mid to high teens.

Moderate fire behavior is expected in the form of smoldering, creeping and isolated spotting. Fire behavior is expected to be active on the slopover fire at the southern edge of the fire.

There is a fuel and fire behavior advisory in effect for critically dry fuels through September 25, 2020.

A TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) has been implemented over the fire area – which means recreational drones and private aircraft cannot fly over the fire. Details can be found here: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_0_1623.html. Remember, “IF YOU FLY, WE CAN’T.”

Fire information can be found on Utah Wildfire Information at https://utahfireinfo.gov/. Check out News & Events and ‘Like Us’ on facebook.com/UtahWildfire , and ‘Follow Us’ on twitter.com/UtahWildfire for further information.