Winds fan Utah wildfires

Three wind-whipped wildfires in northern Utah Saturday stretched fire crews thin and in one case, required campers and horseback-riders to evacuate.

The fires were located in Summit, Tooele and Utah counties, and spread fast throughout the afternoon. The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings as high temperatures and southwest winds Saturday created severe fire weather conditions over most of the state. Those warnings were to remain effective through Sunday night.

• A fire sparked just before noon just north of Cedar Fort in Utah County, and had grown northward to about 600 acres by 5 p.m. Utah County Sheriff's Lt. Darren Gilbert said. Flames shot up to 60 feet high and crept up ridgelines, threatening six cabins — including one historic structure — in West Canyon, he said.

  Deputies closed West Canyon Road to make way for fire traffic and keep people from wandering too near the fire. A few people were allowed through to remove their animals, Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon said. People in the canyon were evacuated.

  "There were a number of campers in there, a number of horseback riders," Gilbert said. "We believe we have everyone out of the canyon."

  Crews from Salt Lake County, Lehi, Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain, Utah County, Cedar Fort and the Bureau of Land Management responded to the blaze; Camp Williams assisted from the air with Blackhawk helicopters equipped with 500-gallon water tanks, Gilbert said.

  "We're asking for more resources, but there are a number of other fires going on in the state," Gilbert said. "It's getting somewhat difficult because of those other fires."

  The fire started when a model rocket ignited brush, Cannon said. Smoke was visible from parts of the Salt Lake Valley, prompting several calls to 911 dispatchers.

  "The smoke, it's made some residents nervous," said Shirl White with the Unified Fire Authority. "The way the winds are, they're worried about (embers and ashes) kicking up and dropping here."

  A second, smaller fire popped up south of Cedar Fort, but firefighters had the blaze mostly under control Saturday afternoon.

  "It's mostly smoke," Cannon said. "We were just concerned because it is close to the White Hills subdivision in Cedar Fort."