UPDATED: Wildfires continue to burn in Millard County, Halfway Hill Fire up to 6,640 acres

Written by E. George Goold
July 8, 2022
The Halfway Hill Fire in Millard County grew moderately overnight, Millard County, UT, July 9, 2022 | Photo by Utah Fire Information, St. George News

MILLARD COUNTY — Two wildfires and a structure fire were burning in Millard County as of 10 p.m. Friday.

Update July 9, 6:30 p.m.

Millard County Sheriff Richard Jacobson spoke with St. George News via telephone at 6 p.m. Saturday, speaking briefly about the three fires in Millard County originally reported in St. George News Friday evening.

The tire shredding plant in the industrial park is “smoldering,” Jacobson said, adding that it’s difficult to get enough water to put out a fire of burning rubber. The fire is mostly buried by dirt now, he said, and is being monitored.

As for the wildfires, Jacobson said the Dry Creek Fire is “being managed well right now.” But the Halfway Hill Fire “is very aggressive and blowing off lots of smoke.”

He said the road closures for both fires are still in effect.

A view of the Dry Creek Fire in Millard County, Utah, July 8, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Utah Fire Info, St. George News

Update July 9, 3:00 p.m.

The Halfway Hill fire in Millard County experienced moderate growth overnight and is burning an estimated 6,640 acres.

A social media post from the Utah Fire Information Center released Saturday morning reported that more fire crews were expected to arrive today to begin constructing a fireline.

At that time the post said air resources will be assisting the firefighters, but an update released around 1 p.m. said that erratic wind gusts grounded fixed-wing air resources.

Red Flag warning weather conditions continue today with temperatures expected over 100 degrees, wind gusts between 25-35 mph and dry air.

Meanwhile, the Dry Creek Fire that also started up in Millard County Friday evening was burning around 900 acres as of Saturday afternoon.

According to a social media post released around 11 a.m., Oak Creek Canyon remains evacuated because of the fire. Closures continue on Oak Creek, Dry Creek and Fool Creek roads.

The Dry Creek Fire is located east of Oak City.

The Utah Fire Information Twitter feed said there are fire personnel on the scene and the cause of the blaze is under investigation but is believed to be human-caused.

A social media post released shortly after 6 p.m. Friday reported that the blaze started on private land near the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon and then moved onto U.S. Forest Service lands. Oak Creek Canyon was evacuated. 

Meanwhile, the Halfway Hill Fire located southeast of Fillmore in Millard County was reported in a social media post around 3:30 p.m. Friday.

At approximately 8 p.m., the fire was reported at 425 acres in size. Officials said fire personnel were on the scene and that air resources were ordered. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

As of 4 p.m., evacuations were ordered by the Millard County Sheriff’s Office for the Virginia Hills subdivision southeast of Fillmore due to the growing fire.

The Millard County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement on social media shortly after 6 p.m. Friday evening:

There are currently 3 large fires in the county, 2 wildfires and 1 structure fire. Please stay out of the following areas:

  • Sand Rock Ridge and Pine Creek Area near Fillmore.
  • Fillmore Industrial Park where the tire shredding plant is on fire.
  • Oak Creek Canyon area and the Dry Creek area near Oak City.  

We appreciate your willingness to avoid unnecessary travel around these events to allow heavy fire resources to move about.

This is a developing story.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eric George Goold came to St. George News from southwestern Colorado, where he was a radio news reporter. He has been a journalist for over 20 years in five different states. He graduated with a master's degree in English from Kansas State University and writes nonfiction as well. Goold has been published in Sunstone Magazine and has done multiple public readings about local history. When he has free time, he enjoys chess, movies and dogs.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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