BEAVER — Central Utah Fire Interagency crews are reporting the Little Twist fire has grown to approximately 2,250 acres as of Sunday morning.
The Little Twist fire is now estimated to be 2,250 acres south of Beaver, Utah, June 15, 2024 | Graphic courtesy of Fishlake National Forest, St. George News
Fishlake National Forest assistant public information officer Natalee Hunt said the wildfire was moderately active through the afternoon and into Saturday evening.
“Fire behavior is expected to be very active with low humidities and with strong gusty winds expected through Monday,” Hunt said in an email. “Today, firefighters will continue constructing and strengthening direct and indirect firelines while utilizing natural barriers and favorable fuel types which provide the greatest opportunity to work towards containment of the fire both safely and effectively.”
Hunt said aerial resources have been successful moderating the fire in critical areas along the perimeter. There is currently an area closure order in place to provide safety for both firefighters and public.
This spring, the Beaver Ranger District implemented the burn plan for the South Beaver prescribed fire project, successfully completing 4,724 acres over several weeks, according to the news release.
“The district plans to burn 3,000-5,000 acres each year over the span of several years,” the Fishlake National Forest press release said. “Hot, dry, and windy weather resulted in the fire burning beyond the intended limits for this spring.”
The South Beaver prescribed burn was upgraded to the Little Twist wildfire near Beaver, Utah, June 13, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Fishlake National Forest, St. George News
On June 13, local Forest Service leaders made the decision to transition the active portion of the prescribed fire to a wildfire, now known as the Little Twist Fire, Hunt said.
“Due to more accurate mapping, the Little Twist Fire is currently 2,250 acres,” the news release stated.
Although double yesterday’s projected 1,000 acres burned, the Little Twist wildfire currently remains within the South Beaver burn project, the media release said. The decision to transition to a wildfire was made to allows the Forest Service to make use of additional resources, including those of cooperating agencies.
On Saturday, Central Utah Fire Interagency’s Type 3 Incident Management Team took over management of the fire.
“We appreciate the rapid response of our partners to provide needed assistance,” Hunt said.
The Little Twist fire is now estimated to be 2,250 acres south of Beaver, Utah, June 15, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Fishlake National Forest, St. George News
Smoke will continue to be visible for several weeks from the surrounding areas including I-15, I-70, US-89 and Hwy 20. The wildfire is located approximately four miles southwest of Beaver with 220 personnel currently working the blaze in the Fishlake National Forest Beaver Ranger District.
Little Reservoir, Tushar Lakeside and Kents Lake Campgrounds remain open to the public for camping and day use.
For the safety of both the public and firefighters, authorities are asking residents to avoid accessing Forest Road #137 (Kents Lake Road) past Upper Kents Lake, Anderson Meadow and Lebaron Campgrounds and Recreation sites, as well as the South Creek area.
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