Wrangler Fire Burning 8400 Acres North of Cedar City

Wrangler Fire | Photo Courtesy of Color Country Interagency Firefighters, St. George News

UPDATE Sunday Evening August 7 – This fire is now 85% contained. Fire Information Officer’s report indicates: Handcrews are working with aircraft to complete fireline on the south fire perimeter.  There were no flare-ups, problematic fire behavior, or growth in acreage today.  The Type III Team managing the fire hopes to have the fire fully contained by the end of shift tomorrow (Monday) if all
efforts go as planned and favorable weather conditions permit.  Smoke from islands burning out will be visible for the next few days if weather conditions continue to remain hot and dry.

All dirt roads around the perimeter of the fire remain closed.  

UPDATE Sunday Morning August 7 – Fire Information Officer Nick Howell summarized, Fire crews battled problematic fire behavior yesterday as they worked with aircraft to contain two 50 acre flare-ups near the south fire perimeter.  Fire size is now estimated at 8,500 acres and is 30 percent contained.

UPDATE 5 p.m. Acreage burning is now assessed at 8,450 (Fire Information Officer analgoized an acre to a football field, to give you an idea of the size).  Today’s fire behavior has been moderate, with isolated torching and problematic fire behavior being observed.  Containment is currently at 30%.

CEDAR CITY / BADGER PEAK – Lightning sparked a wildfire August 5 around 4:30 p.m. in an area 15 miles north of Cedar City, near Badger Peak, west of Minersville and northeast of Lund, now named the Wrangler Fire.  The fire is being fueled by cheat grass, mixed brush, scattered pinyon and juniper trees.

Wrangler Fire | Photo Courtesty of BLM, St. George News

Howell said that firefighters “did a huge firing operation last night (like a burn out), a 12 mile firing operation, which [they] are hoping will stop the progression of the fire.”

Currently at 1 p.m. multiple resources are in play including considerable aerial support dropping fire retardant.  Howell said that those efforts “will be tested by the weather conditions today, hopefully they will hold.”

At this writing zero containment has been reported, although Howell indicated he expects some containment to be achieved sometime this evening depending upon weather conditions impacting the effort.

All dirt roads located on public lands surrounding the fire perimeter are closed.  Most of these roads closed run parallel to Thermo Road west of Minersville. No major highways or travel corridors are currently closed.

No structures have been considered threatened and no injuries have been reported.

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