UPDATE: Spanish Fork Police said Monday evening that the Pole Creek fire is now 23 percent contained.
In a community meeting Monday afternoon, fire officials said they are working to protect homes that are threatened by the Pole Creek and Bald Mountain fires.
Marty Adell, who is working on battling the Pole Creek Fire, said that crews are doing structure protection in the area where the two fires meet.
Dan Dallas, the Operations Chief with the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team, said teams have worked to put in controlled features, bulldozing a line in Payson Canyon along Elk Ridge and other communities.
As of Monday afternoon, the Pole Creek Fire has burned a total of 71,873 acres and the Bald Mountain fire has burned 14,506.
The previous story continues below:
UTAH COUNTY, Utah — A pair of wildfires in southern Utah County have moved about five miles northward in the Diamond Fork area.
The Pole Creek and Bald Mountain fires have burned 86,379 acres combined, according to an update from the U.S. Forest Service.
The fires have forced officials to close U.S. 6 between the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon and the junction with U.S. 191, just north of Helper. U.S. 89 is also closed between the Thistle Junction and the Utah/Sanpete County border.
The Uintah-Wasatch-Cache National Forest has closed Santaquin Canyon, Mona Pole Canyon, and the Nebo Loop National Scenic Byway from Payson Canyon to Salt Creek Canyon.
Due to the Pole Creek and Bald Mountain Fires, Diamond Fork and Sheep Creek Canyons were under mandatory evacuations Sunday afternoon as the pair of fires jumped US-6.
The right-hand fork of Hobble Creek Canyon was also under evacuations Sunday evening. The left-hand fork of the canyon was under a pre-evacuation notice.
A community meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday at North Sanpete High School, 390 E 700 S (Hawk Blvd.).
Crews are continuing aggressive fire suppression efforts and structure protection, according to the Forest Service.
"Critical fire conditions continues through today, likely challenging firefighting efforts with continued high winds, warm temperatures, and low humidity in the fire area predicted," the update said.
Evacuations for the fires can be seen below:
