Crews making progress on southern Utah fire amid mild winds

BRIAN HEAD, Utah (AP) — Firefighters in southern Utah hope to continue making progress Monday on a wildfire that’s forced more than 1,500 people to flee homes and campsites since the blaze broke out two weeks ago.

Fire officials said the fire was about 104 square miles (240 square kilometers) Monday morning and 65 percent contained. Several hundred homes in four communities near the mountain resort area of Brian Head remained under evacuation.

Elayn Briggs, a spokeswoman for the firefighting agencies, says the fire grew about two square miles Sunday and officials were hoping to make progress Monday with only light winds predicted.

The wildfire was started June 17 by a man burning a pile of weeds.