Governor pledges support for recovery from wildfire

KANOSH, Millard County — The gargantuan Milford Flat Fire swelled beyond 300,000 acres Monday, ranking it second in the nation for resource priority.

More than 250 firefighters from around the country assumed responsibility for suppressing the blaze. They are part of a highly specialized "Type I team," taking over from local firefighters, many of them volunteers.

As of 1 p.m. Monday, the wildfire had been declared zero to five percent contained.

Portions of Interstate 15 and I-70 were closed while firefighters attempted a "backburn" operation, starting small fires to burn fuels, hoping to create a line against the fire.

"The winds are expected to switch a little bit today from the west, pushing to the east," said Jean Bergerson with Color Country Fire Management, a group coordinating part of the firefighting effort.

Burning about 120 miles south of Salt Lake City, the blaze grew to more than 468 square miles Monday racing through extremely dry sagebrush, cheat grass and pinion juniper.

"It's still dry with erratic gusty winds. We're still looking at extreme fire danger," said Susan Marzec, a spokeswoman with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Mike Rutherford spent the day sifting through the remains of his Dog Valley Trading Post, an old log cabin where he sold American Indian crafts to travelers near historic Cove Fort. He had no insurance on his $50,000 inventory.

"All we could find were some handmade knives — well, the blades anyway — and some pottery," Rutherford, 59, said by phone from Kanosh. "Most of the things were pretty much dust. ... Have you got any openings?"

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. flew over the Milford Flat Fire Monday and visited with fire team commanders.

"My own take is things are (proceeding) as can be expected," he told reporters at Kanosh's city park, which has become something of a tent city for firefighters and personnel battling the blaze.

Huntsman said he would work with federal agriculture and interior officials to secure funding and reseed burnt areas.

The incident commander for the Type I team brought in to battle the blaze said he had been pre-authorized to spend up to $12 million on the Milford Flat Fire.

"I'd like to get out of here for three or four million," said Rowdy Muir, the incident commander in charge of the firefighting effort.