East Fork Fire Leads to Evacuations in High Uintas Wilderness Area

August 22, 2020

East Fork Fire Leads to Evacuations in High Uintas Wilderness Area

Duchesne, Utah … The East Fork Fire is currently 850 acres with no containment and is approximately six tenths of a mile north of Upper Stillwater Reservoir on the Duchesne-Roosevelt Ranger District of the Ashley National Forest.

To ensure public safety 14 smokejumpers and the Forest Packer have been deployed into the High Uintas Wilderness Area to contact hikers and guide them out of the wilderness primarily through the Granddaddy and MoonLake Trailheads.

An expanded closure area has been announced that includes all of the High Uintas Wilderness Area west of the Lake Fork Trail (Forest Service Trail (FST) 061) and High Line Trail (FST 025) to the Ashley National Forest Boundary.  The Lake Fork Trail is not included in this closure. The Highline Trail is closed in sections within the closure area. The Blindstream Road (Forest Service Road (FSR) 135) will be closed at the Forest boundary north of Hannah, Utah.  The Rock Creek Road (FSR134) will be closed at the intersection with FSR 198, the road to Lower Stillwater Ponds Picnic Area.

The East Fork Fire is burning in heavy timber on the boundary of the High Uintas Wilderness Area. 

Due to the fire behavior observed yesterday which included torching and spotting with 50 foot flame lengths and rapid movement on all sides the Upper Stillwater Campground, Rock Creek Resort and Yellow Pine Campground were evacuated at approximately 7 p.m. last night in coordination with the Duchesne County Sheriff Department.

-30-