Press Release
Special Note: The Rocky Mountain Type 1 Incident Management Team (IMT), with Dan Dallas as Incident Commander, assumed command of the Coal Hollow Fire this morning at 6 a.m. The Team would like to acknowledge the great work that was done by Great Basin Team 4 and wish them safe travels home.
Current Situation: As additional resources arrive, the IMT will be staffing the remaining divisions and scouting possible containment lines. Due to the steep, inaccessible terrain and other hazards within the fire area, indirect fireline will be constructed. As weather and fire conditions allow, crews will conduct firing operations to remove fuels to strengthen containment lines and minimize impacts to values at risk.
On the north side of the fire along Highway 6, in Division M, a combination of handline and dozer line is in place. Today firefighters will continue to improve the fireline in preparation for future firing operations. Moving to the east, in Division Q, a combination of indirect handline, dozer line and an existing road system will be used as containment lines. Today firefighters will continue constructing and improving these lines working from Highway 6 south along the ridge to Mill Creek Ridge Road and the existing trail system to Skyline Drive. Masticators will be used in this area to chip smaller trees and brush.
Division T on the southeast flank is now staffed and firefighters will begin constructing containment lines using a combination of handline, dozer line and existing trail systems. As firelines are created, heavy equipment will be used where possible to remove vegetation and improve lines in anticipation of the fires advance to the east. Firing operations will be used as necessary to strengthen lines and remove fuels.
In Division X, on the southwest side of the fire near Side Canyon, fire personnel will be scouting potential fireline locations that will provide a high probability of success and low risk to firefighters. Division Z on the west side is currently unstaffed, but resources are arriving today that will begin scouting this area as well.
Moving to the northwest side of the fire near Highway 6, in Division J, hotshot crews have completed handline from the highway to the top of the ridge. Today they will continue to improve the handline moving south towards the Division Z break. Once the line is improved, they will take advantage of favorable weather conditions to conduct firing operations which will strengthen the line and provide a strong anchor to hold the fire south of Highway 6.
Weather: Thunderstorms will be possible over the fire area today. If thunderstorms develop, the primary threat will be lightning and wind gusts to 40 mph. Today’s forecast is partly cloudy with a 20% chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. Temperatures are forecasted to be 88-92 degrees (slightly cooler at higher elevations) with a relative humidity of 11-14 percent. Northwest winds of 5-10 mph with gusty and erratic winds to 40 mph near any thunderstorms are predicted. The Haines Index, which measures the stability and dryness of air over a fire, is 5 (6 is the highest). This indicates that there is a medium potential for extreme fire behavior, intensity, and growth.
Closures and Public Safety: The public is reminded to use extreme caution when traveling along Highways 6 and 89. Heavy fire traffic should be expected and smoke may, at times, reduce visibility. Speed limits have been reduced to 45 mph along Highway 6 in the fire vicinity. Evacuations and pre-evacuations remain in place for several areas in the fire vicinity. A map has been posted to Inciweb showing the evacuation areas. Forest Closures are in effect for portions of the Manti-LaSal and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests. The closure orders can be found on their respective websites at https://www.fs.usda.gov/mantilasal/ and https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/uwcnf/alerts-notices.
Fire Statistics:
Location: 15 miles southeast of Spanish Fork, UT
Start Date: August 4, 2018
Size: 19,360 acres
Percent Contained: 4
Total Personnel: 395 with more resources arriving
Cause: Lightning
Resources Include: 4 Type 1 hand crews, 4 Type 2 hand crews, 20 engines, 3 dozers, 6 water tenders, 4 helicopters, 2 CL-415 Scoopers, 2 air attack platforms, and overhead/support personnel
Coal Hollow and Hill Top Fire Information
1.385.200.4802