Willard Peak Fire passes 700 acres, 150 evacuations in place, no structures lost

NORTH OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) — Firefighters continue to fight the Willard Peak fire burning in the North Ogden area. The fire reached as close to the backyards of homes, but as of late last night, Utah Fire Info ensured no structures have been lost as a result of the flames.

According to Utah Fire Info, the fire is currently burning 754 acres with 0% containment. The Northern Utah Type 3 Incident Management Team will assume command later today. About 150 evacuations remain in place.

Officials say crews held their ground overnight but with critical fire weather, additional hand crews have been ordered to work the steep, rugged terrain today.

Over 100 homes have been evacuated and displaced members have reportedly been staying with friends, family, or at the American Red Cross evacuation shelter located at 3602 North 500 West Pleasant View.

North Ogden City reported evacuations will remain in place until 5 p.m. North Ogden Divide is currently open, but the city warns to stay off all trails in the area.

Felicia Crosson, a resident living near the fire, said the amount of personnel on scene has brought her comfort, but the unpredictable natural elements worries her. “There’s still a chance for it [the fire] to change direction or spark up even bigger.”

Rocky Mountain Power reported a series of outages yesterday, affecting approximately 31,000 customers, according to spokesperson David Eskelsen. Customers were advised to turn off their air conditioning units and refrain from using appliances such as dishwashers, dryers, and ovens. Service returned to normal around 11 a.m. today, and the company does not anticipate any further outages. 

Eskelsen shared that the company began cutting power in stages on Aug 13 at around 3:48 p.m. after a transmission line was damaged and dense smoke made the power lines trip.

If you live in the area and are still experiencing a power outage, you are requested to call 1-888-221-7070.

The fire is located around 3800 North Nebo Avenue.

This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available.