EVANSTON — Local crews continue to battle a fire that broke out on Wednesday northeast of Evanston about half a mile from the Painter gas plant. The Painter Fire was estimated to be about 850 acres in size and about 25% contained on Thursday morning, according to posts on the Uinta County Fire and Ambulance Facebook page.

Fire warden Eric Quinney told the Herald the hope was to have the blaze approximately 50-75% contained by the end of the day on Thursday “if all goes well.” Gusty winds and low humidity have contributed to increased fire danger in recent days and those conditions are predicted to continue.

Quinney said he anticipated there would be about 50 people working on the fire by the end of the day Thursday, with crews at the scene from Uinta County and the Bureau of Land Management, in addition to crews and engines from Worland that had been working at the site of another fire near Rock Springs.

Air support in the form of planes dropping fire retardant assisted in the firefighting efforts on Wednesday night and helicopters assisted on Thursday. A notice from Uinta County Fire and Ambulance said the area contained numerous pipelines, the gas plant, livestock and windmills, making it critical to control the spread of the fire.

The public has been asked to avoid the area as traffic hinders firefighting operations.

With dangerous fire conditions throughout the area, stage 1 fire restrictions will go into effect on Friday, Aug. 14, in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. A press release from the U.S. Forest Service states, “Under the restrictions, fires, campfires, charcoal, coal and wood stoves are allowed only in developed campgrounds. The restrictions also limit smoking to within enclosed vehicles, buildings, in developed campgrounds, or while stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of any flammable material.”

The Forest Service reminds the public that unattended or abandoned campfires can quickly escalate into wildfires. “The fire danger for the area is high, and forecasts call for warm and dry conditions to persist for the remainder of August and beyond.”

The release states several criteria are utilized to determine when fire restrictions are implemented, including current and predicted weather, fuel moisture, fire activity levels and available firefighting resources. Such restrictions typically remain in effect until “significant precipitation” is received and additional restrictions may be implemented if conditions warrant.

Anyone found to be in violation of fire restriction orders will face a mandatory appearance in federal court.

Stage 1 fire restrictions are also in effect in the Bridger-Teton National Forest.