Wildfires erupt across Utah

A series of wildfires across Utah burned buildings and prompted evacuations as winds fanned flames through extremely dry brush and grasses.

A tiny spark exploded into a wildfire that has burned more than 13,000 acres in central Utah, leading to the evacuations of campgrounds, trailheads and cabins along the 32-mile Nebo Loop.

The Salt Creek fire has been declared a national priority, and a Type I team has been assigned to manage firefighting efforts.

But there are problems.

"The nearest available Type I team is in the southeast United States," said Loyal Clark with the Uinta National Forest. "All the Type I teams in the western United States are already committed to fires."

The fire started at a Camperworld campground in Salt Creek Canyon, about six miles east of Nephi. The campground, a nearby motel and several vehicles were destroyed, firefighters said.

"I just saw this huge wall of smoke," said Pat Johnson, who lives in Fountain Green.

Sheriff's deputies and fire crews worked quickly to evacuate more than 2,000 people from the area, including a pair of Scout camps. As many as 18 Boy Scouts and two hikers had to be flown out in helicopters.

"If they'd had to hike out, they'd have gotten trapped," said Bert Hart with the Richfield Interagency Fire Center.

Several subdivisions of homes were also evacuated.

"We had gone through there and told people to take what they can and leave," Sanpete County Sheriff Kevin Holman said Thursday night.

Trailers parked in camping areas along the Nebo Loop road were left, their owners not allowed to recover them because of safety concerns.

A sheriff's deputy was hit by a car in the confusion to get out and suffered minor injuries, authorities said. A volunteer firefighter also suffered a twisted knee while battling the blaze.

Portions of state Route 132 and the Nebo Loop remain closed today, the Utah Highway Patrol said.

The fire is human-caused. Authorities are investigating reports that a vehicle's brake pads created sparking. The wildfire also burned a 138,000-volt transmission line, knocking out power for much of Sanpete County for several hours.

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