North Eden Fire nearly contained
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EVANSTON — A fast-burning wildfire that began on Thursday, Aug. 16, has been largely contained, according to officials with the Bureau of Land Management. The North Eden Fire began east of Bear Lake and quickly grew in size to the tri-state border of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming.
Shortly after the fire was reported on the afternoon of Aug. 16, firefighters from Laketown, Woodruff and Randolph responded to the scene. According to Utah Wildfire, two fire vehicles were destroyed that afternoon when one engine experienced a mechanical problem. Crews from both vehicles were attempting to work on that engine when the flames moved in and cut off their escape route. A group of three firefighters was forced to leave the vehicles and escaping into “the black,” previously-burned area. The three escaped without injury, but both vehicles were lost, including a heavy engine belonging to the Woodruff Fire Department.
As of press time, a call to the Woodruff Fire Department to inquire as to the impact of that loss has not been returned.
On Friday afternoon, Utah Wildfire said the fire had burned state and private land in Utah and BLM land in Wyoming and Idaho and was approximately 6 miles from Cokeville. At that point the fire was 20 percent contained. Scooper planes, helicopters and tankers were used, along with a bulldozer, in efforts to contain the fire.
A press release from the BLM Wyoming Kemmerer Field Office on Friday said the fire had burned approximately 8,000 acres southwest of Cokeville and east of Bear Lake. The BLM was working in coordination with the states of Utah and Idaho, the U.S. Forest Service and local county resources. At that time, County Rd. 207 between Sage Creek Junction, Utah, and Cokeville was closed to traffic.
Blaine Potts with the BLM said there was no increase in acreage burned over the weekend and as of Monday morning the fire was about 75 percent contained. Potts said local resources would be taking over the response on Tuesday morning.
The BLM press release said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.