Crews ignite small fire to help control Milford Flat blaze

MANDERFIELD, Beaver County — Crews battling the state's largest blaze in recorded history ignited a small fire outside Manderfield today.

The "burn out" tactic was expected to stop the 351,000-acre Milford Flat fire before it reaches Interstate 15. The new fire would cut off the supply of vegetation that would otherwise fuel the flames of the Milford Flat fire.

"We're trying to secure I-15 so we don't have to go through the 'maybe it will close, maybe it won't,'" said Kathy Jo Pollock, fire information officer for the Great Basin Type I National Incident Management Team.

Despite the burnout, I-15 remained open to traffic.

The Milford Flat fire is burning sagebrush, grasses and pinyon juniper trees in Beaver and Millard counties. It has drawn more than 525 firefighters and personnel from around the United States. About 60 more people are en-route, Pollock said.

The fire, sparked by lightning one week ago, was 40 percent contained this afternoon.

Lighting sparked the fire one week ago.

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E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com