SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — Evacuation orders issued for the areas near the human-caused Yellow Lake Fire were lifted early Saturday due to the rain and snow helping stunt the growth of the wildfire that has burned for weeks.
The Wasatch and Duchesne county evacuation orders were lifted at 9:00 a.m., although forest closures remain in effect.
Rain and snow that fell Friday brought up to 1.23 inches of precipitation.
While the fire's size remains at just over 33,000 acres Saturday and is just 30 percent contained, the weather has stalled the wildfire's growth, enabling officials to reduce some of the closure areas in the Ashley National Forest and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.
The number of people battling the Yellow Lake Fire has been cut in half, with just 433 personnel on hand Saturday, down from 889 nearly week ago.
Fire officials warn there is still heat where the fire once raged, with infrared technology detecting isolated heat sources on the north side Friday night. Hot spots were also picked up along the North Fork of Duchesne, as well as a few in the “donut hole” in the middle of the fire perimeter, the Forest Service reported.
NORTHERN UTAH
What's fueling the Yellow Lake Fire?
On Sunday, fire operations will transfer from the California Interagency Incident Management Team to one made up of local personnel.
The cold front also cleared out much of the smoke in the areas near the fire and the Forest Service says good conditions are forecast through the weekend and into next week.
Although the closure areas in two locations have been reduced, those orders still in effect will remain so until Nov. 25 in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, and through Dec. 31 in the Ashley National Forest.
