Wildfire updates: US Highway 6 closed due to Coal Hollow Fire; evacuations ordered in Diamond Fork Canyon

Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY — The Coal Hollow Fire, burning 15 miles southeast of Spanish Fork, forced officials to close U.S. Highway 6 and evacuate Diamond Fork Canyon Sunday evening.

U.S. Highway 6 is closed in both directions from Diamond Fork Road to Tucker, Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon tweeted. Officials expect the road to remain closed through the night.

Officials also evacuated Diamond Fork Canyon after the fire crossed Highway 6. The evacuations are expected to last until at least Monday, Cannon said.

No changes were reported in acreage or containment for the fire, which officials measured at 19,360 acres — or about 30 square miles — and 4 percent contained earlier Sunday.

The Iron Hill Fire, which sparked Saturday south of Saratoga Springs, decreased in size by Sunday afternoon.

The fire is just over 1,000 acres, down from 1,400 reported on Saturday, officials reported, and is 60 percent contained.

The Bear Trap Fire, burning on Uintah and Ouray Ute lands in Uintah County, grew to about 6,600 acres on Sunday, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

There were at least six active wildfires burning throughout the state as of Sunday evening, according to Utah Fire Info.

Saturday's fire coverage:

This story will be updated throughout the day with the latest fire information.

Sunday, 09:54pm

Officials extend U.S. Highway 6 closure

U.S. Highway 6 is now closed from Diamond Fork Road to Tucker, said Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon in a tweet Sunday evening. The road closure is expected to last overnight.

US Hwy 6 is now closed from Diamond Fork to Tucker (MM 185-MM203). The fire jumped Hwy 6. Evacuations are for all of Diamond Fork up to Springville Xing and east to Sheep Creek Road. These will be in effect until at least later tomorrow, 8/13/18. https://t.co/ZbzldkUpg1
— Spencer Cannon (@SGTCannonPIO) August 13, 2018

Sunday, 08:55pm

Evacuations ordered in Diamond Fork Canyon due to Coal Hollow Fire

Officials are evacuating Diamond Fork Canyon, over east to Sheep Creek Road and up to Springville Crossings, Sunday evening after the Coal Hollow Fire crossed U.S Highway 6, according to a Facebook post from the Utah County Sheriff's Office.

Sunday, 04:36pm

Coal Hollow Fire forces closure of U.S. Highway 6

The Coal Hollow Fire forced the closure of U.S. Highway 6 in both directions, from the US-89 junction to Tucker, late Sunday afternoon, according to the Utah Department of Transportation. Drivers are urged to use an alternate route.

#CoalHollowFire The activity is picking up near Hwy 6. Use EXTREME caution as smoke limits ability to see long distances. pic.twitter.com/CJDBjBvSvF
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) August 12, 2018

Utah Co: US-6 is closed both directions from MP 187 (US-89 Junction) to MP 203 (Tucker) due to a wildfire in the area. Motorists are advised to use an alternate route. Check @UDOTTRAFFIC for updates.
— UDOT Region Three (@UDOTRegionthree) August 12, 2018

Sunday, 01:22pm

Iron Hill Fire south of Saratoga Springs reduces to 1,015 acres

The Iron Hill Fire had reduced in size to 1,015 acres as of Sunday afternoon after burning 1,400 earlier Saturday. The fire is 60 percent contained, according to Northern Utah Interagency Fire Center dispatcher Greg Blank. The fire is burning near milepost 20 on state Route 68, also known as Redwood Road, officials said. The blaze is about five miles south of Saratoga Springs and west of Utah Lake in the Lake Mountains. One helicopter, as well as several fire engines, were assigned to the fire Sunday, Blank said. A crew of 20 people from Ely, Nevada also was working the blaze, he said.

Sunday, 01:17pm

Bear Trap Fire in Uintah County grows to 6,594 acres

The Bear Trap Fire, burning on Uintah and Ouray Ute lands in Uintah County, has grown to 6,594 acres and is zero percent contained as of Sunday, Bureau of Indian Affairs officials said on Facebook. A youth camp, a private ranch and the Weaver Reservoir Recreation Site are threatened by the fire, officials said. No structures have been lost so far, and no injuries have been reported. The fire started on July 21. Crews from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Uintah and Ouray agency, the Navajo Interagency Hotshot Crew, US Forest Service, San Carlos Tribe, Duchesne County, State of Utah Forestry and Fire, and Denver City Fire are working the fire, officials said.

Sunday, 01:07pm

Coal Hollow Fire remains at 19,360 acres, 4 percent containment

The Coal Hollow Fire, burning in southeast Utah County, saw no significant changes overnight into Sunday morning, according to an emailed statement from Utah fire officials. Crews are continuing fire containment operations around the fire, including along U.S. Highway 6 on the northern edge of the fire. Crews also are working to construct fire containment lines along Mill Creek Ridge Road, south of Highway 6, and to Skyline Drive. The west side of the fire was not staffed with crews working containment as of early Sunday, but more resources were scheduled to arrive on Sunday to begin scouting that area, officials said. Containment crews were working the southeast side of the fire area, and personnel were scouting locations on the southwest side for potential fire containment lines, officials said. Thunderstorms are possible in the fire area Sunday, and lightning and gusting winds could threaten to spread the fire, officials said. Drivers on Highway 6 are urged to use extreme caution when traveling in the area. Heavy traffic from the fire, as well as heavy smoke, is expected near the fire. Speed limits have been reduced to 45 miles per hour, and drivers are asked not to stop along the highway.

As weather and fire conditions allow, crews will conduct firing operations to remove fuels to strengthen containment lines and minimize impacts to values at risk. An update on the #CoalHollowFire can be found at https://t.co/YcJWPjT7as…/…/coal-hollow-fire-update-8-12/pic.twitter.com/Z4tedRsvuo
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) August 12, 2018

Wildfire updates: US Highway 6 closed due to Coal Hollow Fire; evacuations ordered in Diamond Fork Canyon

By Jacob Klopfenstein for KSL.com and Yvette Cruz, KSL.com | Posted - Aug. 12, 2018 at 10:51 p.m.

Show 2 more videos

Saturday's fire coverage:

Wildfire updates: Fire in Sanpete County fully contained; Southern Utah sees hail, flash flooding

Officials extend U.S. Highway 6 closure

Evacuations ordered in Diamond Fork Canyon due to Coal Hollow Fire

Coal Hollow Fire forces closure of U.S. Highway 6

Iron Hill Fire south of Saratoga Springs reduces to 1,015 acres

Bear Trap Fire in Uintah County grows to 6,594 acres

Coal Hollow Fire remains at 19,360 acres, 4 percent containment

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

More stories you may be interested in

Autism program at Utah State University is helping kids across the world

Driver charged in rollover crash that ejected 4 friends, killing 1 a year ago

Here's how many Utah households applied for the Utah Fits All Scholarship

Most Viewed

STAY IN THE KNOW

KSL Weather Forecast

Wildfire updates: US Highway 6 closed due to Coal Hollow Fire; evacuations ordered in Diamond Fork Canyon

By Jacob Klopfenstein for KSL.com and Yvette Cruz, KSL.com | Posted - Aug. 12, 2018 at 10:51 p.m.

+ Show 2 more videos

Saturday's fire coverage:

Wildfire updates: Fire in Sanpete County fully contained; Southern Utah sees hail, flash flooding

Officials extend U.S. Highway 6 closure

Evacuations ordered in Diamond Fork Canyon due to Coal Hollow Fire

Coal Hollow Fire forces closure of U.S. Highway 6

Iron Hill Fire south of Saratoga Springs reduces to 1,015 acres

Bear Trap Fire in Uintah County grows to 6,594 acres

Coal Hollow Fire remains at 19,360 acres, 4 percent containment

Most recent Utah stories

'I got frustrated and gave up': High mortgage rates keep some Utah homebuyers on the sidelines

Some Salt Lake high school facilities closed to the public due to irresponsible dog owners

Supreme Court to decide if outright camping bans constitute cruel and unusual punishment

Related topics

More stories you may be interested in

Autism program at Utah State University is helping kids across the world

Driver charged in rollover crash that ejected 4 friends, killing 1 a year ago

Here's how many Utah households applied for the Utah Fits All Scholarship

Most Viewed

STAY IN THE KNOW

KSL Weather Forecast

Show 2 more videos