Firefighter hurt in Duchesne County

ROOSEVELT — A wildland firefighter was injured Wednesday while working on the Mill Hollow fire in Duchesne County. U.S. Forest Service fire information officer Venetia Gempler, in a press release, said the man was injured in a fall. He was transported by helicopter to University Hospital.

Fire officials did not release the man's name or condition.

The Mill Hollow fire has been burning since June 23 in the south unit of the Ashley National Forest about 15 miles north of Helper. It was sparked by lightning and has grown to 533 acres. Crews spent Wednesday working on the eastern flank of the fire to keep it out of the Flat Ridge Spring drainage.

The Forest Service is using the fire, which is burning largely in stands of beetle-killed Douglas fir trees, for "resource management" to reduce dangerous fuel loads in the Mill Hollow area. The blaze also is burning stands of sub-alpine fir, aspen, pinion juniper and sagebrush.

"It's doing good stuff out there," said Ashley National Forest spokesman Louis Haynes. "It's low intensity; getting the beetle-kill taken care of for us so far."

The Forest Service has issued road and trail closures east and north of Cat's Peak, including: Forest System roads No. 081, No. 074, and No. 076; Forest Service Trail No. 082; and the Reservation Ridge Road.

As of Thursday night, 68 firefighters, three engine trucks, two water-tender trucks and two helicopters were assigned to the blaze. The Great Basin Wildland Fire Use Management Team assumed control of fire operations from Ashley National Forest personnel Thursday morning.