Wildfires burning near Moab, Vernal

A wildfire ripped through more than 4,000 acres near Moab, but evacuation orders in the area were relaxed Thursday.

The Porcupine Ranch fire was just one of several blazes firefighters were racing to control this week.

An afternoon lightning strike ignited the fire about two miles east of Castle Valley and forced the evacuation of the Miners Basin area Wednesday and the evacuation of 20 homes near Bald Mesa on Thursday, said Jason Curry with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.

The structures in Miners Basin were uninhabited, and despite the fire's growth, most people were allowed to return to their homes near Bald Mesa by Thursday night, officials said.

"We're off to the races with this fire," Curry said. "But not too many people have been affected."

The fire exploded from 200 acres Wednesday to more than 4,000 acres Thursday, because of steep terrain and heavy fuel.

"There's a heavy fuel load. It's been quite some time since a fire has moved through the area," Curry said. "And with the steep terrain, the fire just moves uphill during the day."

The fire was about 5 percent contained Thursday night. A total of seven Hotshot crews along with helicopters and planes were expected to battle the blaze today.

Visitors at the Mason Draw and Warner campgrounds were evacuated Wednesday after the fire jumped La Sal Loop Road. That road remained closed Thursday between Castle Valley and Geyser Pass. Sand Flats Road also was closed Thursday.

Near Vernal, the Split Top 1 fire torched nearly 420 acres about three miles north of the Dinosaur National Monument visitors center Thursday. Helicopters and firefighters were trying to stop the fire's movement on the north and west flanks.

"The fire is burning entirely within the Dinosaur National Monument boundaries," National Park Service spokeswoman Carla Beasley said in an e-mail.

Meanwhile, crews continued to get the upper hand on wildland fires in Tooele and Salt Lake counties Thursday.

The Corner Canyon fire in Draper was completely contained Thursday night, just days after the 808-acre fire threatened homes and forced evacuations along the east bench.

"It won't be out," said Kathy Jo Pollock of the U.S. Forest Service. "There will still be some smoke, but we'll have a line around it."