This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Fire crews are trying to contain a wildfire burning north of Vernal that prompted evacuations Saturday.
The 3,569-acreblaze, dubbed the Taylor Mountain Road Fire, was spreading northeast around Taylor Mountain, said Kelsey Birchell, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Land Management. It's not known what sparked the wildfire Saturday afternoon.
Six hand crews and 12 fire engines will arrive Sunday to help the 20 fire engines, a helicopter, three airplane tankers and two speed planes already attacking the fire. As of 9 p.m., they had not achieved any containment.
The flames have already burned one structure and were threatening others. Evacuations were in place for areas north and east of the fire, including along Taylor Mountain Road and Steinaker Reservoir, where park staff evacuated about 150 to 250 campers, boaters and picnickers.
The park will remain closed until the threat has subsided, according to Utah State Parks. U.S. Highway 191 was also closed.
While no figures were immediately available for how many structures were in danger, Steinaker State Park rangers reported 20-foot flames were threatening park buildings, including a maintenance building.
Though the fire has destroyed one structure, Birchell could not immediately describe the building.
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