ST. GEORGE — Additional resources are being sent to help combat the Neck Fire burning 15 miles north of Cedar City. The fire is currently 30% contained as of Saturday afternoon.
“A Type 2 Incident Management Team is mobilizing due to increased complexity (of the fire) and will provide more resources to the incident and the local unit,” Bureau of Land Management spokesperson Nick Howell said in a press release issued Saturday.
The additional personnel and resources began arriving Saturday afternoon, allowing firefighters to engage more areas of the fire’s perimeter.
The perimeter of the Neck Fire, which is now sized at 17,800 acres, will be aggressively worked by firefighters with the aid of aircraft and dozers in an effort to gain more containment.
“Firefighters are making good progress and are working with heavy equipment and aircraft to achieve containment objectives under cooler temperatures,” Howell said in a Saturday afternoon fire update.
Fire officials had originally estimated the Neck Fire to be 25,000 acres in size Friday evening. That that was revised to 17,800 acres after mapping, Howell told St. George News.
Approximately 250 firefighters are currently assigned to the Neck Fire.
Smoke from the fire will be visible from various locations in Iron and Beaver counties, Howell said.
Fire growth is expected while roads in the area of the fire remain closed for public and firefighter safety.
The fire started Thursday and is believed to have been ignited by lightning and is currently burning across BLM-managed lands. Fuels feeding the fire include grass and sagebrush and pinyon and juniper trees.
No injuries or evacuations have been reported in connection with the fire.
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Smoke from the Neck Fire burning north of Cedar City in Iron County, Utah, Sept. 7, 2019 | Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, St. George News / Cedar City News
Smoke from the Neck Fire burning north of Cedar City in Iron County, Utah, Sept. 7, 2019 | File photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, St. George News / Cedar City News
Smoke from the Neck Fire burning north of Cedar City in Iron County, Utah, Sept. 7, 2019 | Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, St. George News / Cedar City News
Smoke from the Neck Fire burning north of Cedar City in Iron County, Utah, Sept. 7, 2019 | Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, St. George News / Cedar City News
A map of the Neck Fire burning north of Cedar City in Iron County. | Map courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, St. George News / Cedar City News
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