Monroe fire grows above 10,000 acres, 9% contained

RICHFIELD, Utah (ABC4) — The Monroe fire has grown to 10,066 acres and is 9% contained, according to the latest information from the Utah Department of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.

The Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team 3, which is fighting the fire, has nearly 879 fire personnel on location. As temperatures warm up, crews say that will impact fire weather in the area with highs in the low 80s. They suspect a similar trend to continue going into the weekend.

Since the fire started on July 13, officials have been searching for the suspect who likely started the massive fire.

Structure protection work is ongoing in the Magleby area, one of the areas that is under evacuation orders. Officials say containment in this area was possible because the 2020 prescribed fire treatments in the region reduced fuel loading and allowed fire crews to safely engage the fire’s edge.

Firing operations are being conducted to secure sections of line in the Bagley Ranch Area. Monroe Meadows will undergo firing operations to bring the fire’s edge closer to the meadows, where fire intensity is currently low, officials said.

As structure protection continues to be the utmost priority, crews say they will be mopping up and ensuring the hot spots in blackened areas near structures are extinguished and secure.

Crews are building a safety line through the Hunt’s Lake area, and a hotshot crew is scouting potential areas to engage the fire along the western edge directly.

A community meeting will be held today, 7 p.m. Mountain Time, at the Sorensen Administration Building, where firefighters will provide the latest update on the fire.