(Brian Head, UT)  –  High winds whipped the Brian Head Fire to more than quintuple in size.  It took the nearly one-thousand-acre fire a day or so to explode to nearly 11,000 acres in size as of last night.

More than 700 people remain under evacuation orders in Brian Head because of the blaze and parts of Garfield County at Horse Valley, Clear Creek, and Beaver Dam are now being evacuated. Evacuations are planned today in Iron County in the Red Creek area. Authorities also plan to close the road from Paragonah to Bear Valley. Iron County Sheriff Mark Gower says that social media rumors about possible evacuations in Parowan City are unfounded and unhelpful. Gower asked the public to refrain from spreading rumors that “create panic and complicates our job.” 

Around 500 firefighters are battling the inferno. The conflagration is currently at 15% containment. Incident Commander Tim Roide briefed crews this morning that the “Extreme fire behavior was unprecedented,” but that “[The] public and firefighting safety remain our top priority.”

A red flag warning has been issued again today due to hot, dry conditions with windy conditions. According to UtahFireInfo.gov, “Winds are 5-10 mph from the west, expected to shift to the northwest this afternoon. Weather and associated winds could push the fire toward Panguitch Lake.”

So far, one building has been destroyed and two firefighters were injured but are recovering at the hospital. Highway 143 remains closed from Parowan to the junction of Highway 148 near Cedar Breaks National Monument. The Dixie National Forest has issued a road and trail closure as well to prevent the public from entering the fire area. The closure includes Marathon Trail #3224 from Forest Road 048 (Sidney Valley), Sidney Peaks Trail #3210, Mace’s Run Trail #3219, Dark Hollow Trail #3232, Hendricks Lake Trail #3249 and Forest Road 047 (Brian Head Peak Road.)

Governor Herbert revealed yesterday that the blaze was started last Saturday by someone using a weed torch.  No word yet if that person will face any charges as a result. Â