KANE COUNTY, Utah — The Deer Springs Fire burning near Bryce Canyon National Park has exploded in size, growing to 11,000 acres Monday and remains 0% contained.
No evacuation orders have been issued for the fire that was just at 1,200 acres late Sunday.
Video below explains why Utah wildfires have seen such rapid growth:
Fire officials said crews are currently battling the fire as winds are going in the opposite direction than normal, heading northeast instead of southwest. Firefighters are attempting to get a handle on the northern side of fire, so when the winds eventually switch back there will already be a containment line to keep it from homes in the Deer Springs community.
Multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management Utah, Color Country Interagency Fire, State of Utah Department of Natural Resource - Division of Fire, Forest and State Lands, Kane County Sheriff's Office and local fire departments are responding to the wildfire.
Officials reported seven engines, multiple crews, three large air tankers, dozers and a water tender are also helping to extinguish the blaze that is zero percent contained.
The fire was originally deemed to be human-caused, but an investigation into the cause is being reopened.
The fire was reported just after 1 p.m. on Sunday, just south of Bryce Canyon and about 21 miles northeast of Kanab.
Deer Springs Fire Incident Update: KANAB, Utah — A local Color Country Interagency Incident Management Type-3 Team is responding to a 1,200-acre wildfire initially discovered at 1:02 PM today. For more information, visit https://t.co/1r3r8TDOIa pic.twitter.com/zRVhRKDZn4
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 8, 2024
