UINTA MOUNTAINS, Utah — Fire crews are working tirelessly to contain the Yellow Lake Fire, which continues to burn in the Uinta Mountains.
The official numbers stand Wednesday at 19,903 acres and 21% containment, showing how hard fire crews are working.
A FOX 13 News crew was escorted into the evacuation zone to witness the efforts firsthand as weather conditions were favorable on Tuesday.
However, with warmer, drier weather expected in the coming days, crews face an uphill battle.
Autumn is typically a time of vibrant colors in the Uintas, with aspen leaves signaling the change of seasons But this year the landscape is changed by the sight of smoke and the sounds of helicopters, chainsaws, and crackling flames.
The fire, which has scorched nearly 20,000 acres, faced a lighter condition day on Wednesday, but the warmer drier weather on the horizon has fire crews fighting a blaze that is unseasonable for October.
“With this time of year ... it's crazy for a lot of the fire personnel," said firefighter Kylee Stott, who has been on the front lines of the Yellow Lake Fire. "Usually by this time, we're laying off seasonals and seeing that transition from going into fuels, projects, and things like that, and kind of rehabbing from the fire season.”
The unseasonable blaze has surprised many firefighters, including Elissa La Comb, who remarked on the unusual weather patterns they've encountered as well.
“We had high wind events, red flag warnings, and unusually high temperatures for this time of season,” La Comb said.
Taking a look down Highway 35 is a reminder of how bad those red flag days were just a few days ago.
Both sides of the highway were blackened by the blaze with sections smoldering in all areas of the fire.
Despite the strange conditions, firefighters are throwing every resource at the fire with helicopters, super scoopers, and ground crews working to slow its advance.
The focus Wednesday was on areas near the eastern edge of the fire. While crews had already knocked down a lot of the hot spots in the area, helicopters and super scooper planes were hitting it hard to make sure that edge did not advance.
Even more help is on the horizon as well with a big change set to take place on Wednesday, as the team managing the fire will transition to a larger one.
This means more resources, personnel, and time will be dedicated to combating the blaze, especially as it threatens homes and structures in the area.
“It just means that more resources are coming and more are available,” La Comb said
With warmer and drier weather on the horizon, Stott expressed concern about the fire’s behavior.
"It's first October, almost middle October, and we're seeing fire behavior that usually, for this area, they see in July,” Stott said.
As crews continue to fight the flames, it will continue to be a challenge, but firefighters remain steadfast in protecting the area’s resources and residents.
