Incidents All News

 The Chalk Creek Hieroglyphs are one of the most visited and intriguing recreational sites on the Fillmore Ranger District of the Fishlake National Forest. In 1939, prospectors Clifford Purcell and Rube Melville were in Chalk Creek attempting to locate iron ore when they came upon the Hieroglyphs, which consist of four lines of 24 symbols etched into the stone face above a small cave opening. Purcell recalled “…there was four rows kinda like picture writing…full of lichen full of green stuff…the sun was shinning on it like a spot light.”

 Halfway Hill firefighters leveraged Saturday morning’s relatively calm conditions to secure fireline between Sand Rock Ridge and South Fork Chalk Creek using backburns. The backburn and other firefighting efforts moved containment estimates from 26 percent on Friday to 33 percent.  

Successful efforts by firefighters coupled with favorable weather have limited spread of the Halfway Hill Fire for the past three days. Today’s weather is forecast to be warmer and drier with gusty winds, which may increase fire activity before another round of moisture arrives Sunday. Vegetation in the area remains very dry.Firefighting suppression efforts will focus on the perimeter of the fire area to limit additional outward spread. Vegetation well inside the fireline will continue to burn until significant precipitation extinguishes all heat and flames on the fire area.

 Cooler weather and increased cloud cover minimized fire behavior on the Halfway Hill Fire on Thursday.  Despite the improved conditions, the fire is still very active and the area and road closure is still in effect.  Recreationalists are urged to be aware of changing conditions and closures and to check intended travel routes before heading out this weekend.  Please remember there is heavy fire traffic on roads in the area, particularly in the early morning and late evening hours.

Monsoonal moisture and less gusty wind conditions Wednesday aided firefighting efforts on the 11,637-acre Halfway Hill Fire. The Millard County Sheriff’s Office and fire managers lifted the Virginia Hills subdivision evacuation last evening. Residents had been displaced since the fire started on July 8.   Firefighters increased containment estimates to 10%. Fire managers cited a break in the weather and an uptick in crews, equipment, and air support.

 Tuesday afternoon’s thunderstorms brought only a trace of precipitation and gusty winds of up to 35 mph to the Halfway Hill Fire south of Fillmore, Utah. The wind resulted in embers causing smaller spot fires and a temporary halt to air operations because of high winds and reduced visibility. Weather conditions also hampered the overnight attempts to map the fire growth.  The fire’s acreage is still being reported at 10,436 acres but will be updated when the next infrared flight can be accomplished.

On Monday, additional resources joined the firefighting team at the Halfway Hill Fire south of Fillmore, Utah. Some aircraft and crews were released from the nearby Dry Creek Fire as operations there scale back. The Halfway Hill Fire put up a large column of smoke that towered above the community Monday evening, as pockets of dead trees and heavy fuels burned in the interior of the fire perimeter, south of the South Fork of Chalk Creek and Pistol Creek Campground. Warm temperatures and low humidity enabled the fire to actively burn through the night.

Fire activity on the Halfway Hill Fire was more moderate Sunday as the gusty winds of the previous two days lessened. The fire is located directly south of Fillmore, Utah. Residents of the Virginia Hills subdivision are still under evacuation until fire managers and the Millard County Sheriff’s Office are confident residents can return to their homes safely. The status of evacuations and closures is continuously monitored based on current and expected fire activity.

Sunday, July 10, 2022 Contact Fire Information:  435-414-9418