WASHINGTON COUNTY - Heavy air tankers and a helicopter are actively dropping retardant and water on a wildfire burning in the Black Ridge area off the southbound side of Interstate 15, between the Snow Field and Black Ridge exits. The fire has been named the Leap Fire.
BLM Dispatch Officer, Bill Roach, said the first call came in at 1:58 p.m. today. He said that it is currently sized between two and five acres, is wind driven with lots of torching, and jumping and spreading.
Photo by Jen Watkins, St. George News
“I expect it was lightning caused,” he said, “because it’s in such a remote area that nobody can get out there.” In fact, for purposes of fighting the fire, “access is a problem,” he said, thus the aerial support while fire management works to get crews out there on the ground.
Kenton Call, Fire Information officer, added that two engines are now on site giving ground support.
“It is located on BLM land right at the boundary of Dixie National Forest,” Call said.
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