ST. GEORGE — A fire along Highway 89 in Kane County Monday afternoon stopped traffic and triggered a power outage in the Kanab area.
A brush fire along Highway 89 in Kane County torched power poles causing a power outage in the Kanab area. Power crews are currently working to restore power, Kane County, June 3, 2024 | Photo Courtesy of Kane County Emergency Services, St. George News
The fire is located about 20 miles east of Kanab and started around 1:20 p.m. when a vehicle malfunctioned, according to a statement posted to Facebook by Kane County Emergency Services.
“The fire has burned about 1.25 miles along both sides of the road. Numerous power poles have been damaged,” the Facebook post states.
This has resulted in a power outage in Kanab, Orderville and Northern Arizona since 2 p..m. Garkane Energy Cooperative, which serves these areas, posted on Facebook that it initiated a mandatory power shut-off due to the fire and estimated power may be restored around 8 p.m.
The fire is estimated to be 75-100 acres in size and also led to the Utah Highway Patrol stopping traffic on Highway 89 in both directions for a time. This was to ensure the safety of firefighters as they fought the blaze, Kelly Wickens, of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, told St. George News.
Highway 89 is now open in both directions, according to Kane County Emergency Services.
No structures have been threatened by the fire and no injuries have been reported.
Agencies that responded to the fire included the Utah Forestry, the Fire & State Lands, Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Kanab City Fire Department and the Fredonia Arizona Fire Department.
“This is still an active fire scene and crews continue to battle hot spots and fires as they flare up,” the post from Kane County Emergency Services states.
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