UPDATE: Wildfire contained in drought-parched Ogden Canyon
The Alaskan Fire burns in Ogden Canyon on Thursday, July 15, 2021.
The Alaskan Fire burns in Ogden Canyon on Thursday, July 15, 2021.
The Alaskan Fire burns in Ogden Canyon on Thursday, July 15, 2021.
The Alaskan Fire burns in Ogden Canyon on Thursday, July 15, 2021.
The Alaskan Fire burns in Ogden Canyon on Thursday, July 15, 2021
OGDEN — A wildfire burning in Ogden Canyon on Thursday found a ready supply of dry timber, a dangerous symptom of the drought, a state official said.
State Road 39 was closed for a time Wednesday night from the canyon mouth to Pineview Reservoir after the fire broke out, but the highway was open Thursday morning, said Kait Webb, fire prevention coordinator for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.
By early afternoon, firefighters had achieved 100% containment of the fire and were mopping up the interior. Flames had covered at least 2 1/2 acres, mostly in the lower reaches of the canyon close to SR 39 and the Ogden River. State officials dubbed the blaze the Alaskan Fire — the Alaskan Inn is nearby on the north side of SR 39.
Webb said the fire was burning on the south side of the canyon on the north-facing slope.
“It’s very near the road,” Webb said. “It’s burning in Douglas fir and burning very readily, a sign of the drought we’re in and a sign of a lack of moisture in the trees. We don’t always see timber burning that readily this time of year.”
The cause of the fire, which for a time Wednesday night threatened some structures, is under investigation. There were no evacuations.
Webb said two engines, a 10-person crew and two helicopters on standby, if needed, were assigned to the fire Thursday.
According to the weekly Utah wildfire report released Wednesday, there have been 561 wildfires so far this year, burning more than 59,000 acres.
Abandoned campfires remain a severe problem around the state, the report said. More than 20,000 acres have been burned due to human-caused fires.