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The statement allows county officials to seek mutual aid and activate disaster contingency plans.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) A helicopter returns to shut down the hot spots after refueling near Summit Park. The Parleys Canyon fire continues to threaten at least 6,000 homes on August 16, 2021.
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Thousands of Utahns may not be able to return home until at least Tuesday, as the Parleys Canyon fire continues to threaten at least 6,000 homes. And the Park City School District announced Monday night that the first day of school had been postponed due to the fire, The Park Record reported.
Late Monday, Summit County Director Thomas C. Fisher declared a local emergency, saying the blaze had burned uncontrollably on Sunday and still threatened residents and homes. The statement allows county officials to seek and obtain mutual aid and initiate its disaster contingency plans.
After “more precise” infrared mapping on Sunday evening, the estimated size of the blaze was 539 acres as of Monday morning, according to Utah Wildfire Info spokesman Nick Howell. It remained that size throughout the day, and by Monday evening the fire was 21 percent under control.
[Read more: Is Utah’s mild fire season turning ugly? Explosive Parleys Canyon Fire highlights fire risks.]
Initial estimates had set 1,500 acres on fire, then 619 acres on Sunday night.
The thick smoke from the fires on the west coast that pollutes the air is actually helping Parleys Canyon firefighters, “acting a bit like cloud cover to lower temperatures slightly,” according to Utah Wildfire Info. There is moderate to heavy rain in the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday through Thursday, which could help firefighters contain the blaze – but runoff is possible in burned areas.
About 200 firefighters, along with several planes, battled the blaze and made “very good progress” on Sunday, Howell said. Helicopters, tankers and water shovels dropped water and retarder on particularly active parts of the blaze to help crews build a line of fire on the ground.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Two planes and a helicopter work on the Parleys Canyon fire on Saturday August 14, 2021.
Residents of the Summit Park and Timberline subdivisions will remain under evacuation orders until 8 p.m. Thursday evening, with Upper Pinebrook remaining evacuated until 8 p.m. Wednesday. Residents of Lower Pinebrook are allowed to return home, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. Fire officials “will continue to assess and adjust this schedule” based on weather and fire behavior.
Lambs Canyon and Millcreek Canyon were also evacuated. Some residents were allowed to collect their belongings from their homes on Sunday, but could only stay for brief periods.
“We’re trying to get people home as quickly as possible,” Howell said.
The Park City School District, which was scheduled to start school on Thursday, has pushed back that start date to Aug. 23, according to their website. The Park Record reported that the evacuations forced this delay.
In a statement shared with The Park Record, Superintendent Jill Gildea said: “Thank you all for your support, encouragement and attention to each other as we face the challenges associated with this longer than expected evacuation of our neighborhood houses. “
Jordanelle State Park remained closed on Monday as firefighters used water from the reservoir to fight the blaze.
The cause of the blaze remained under investigation Monday night, but it is believed to have been started by a car dragging a faulty catalytic converter, throwing sparks that ignited dry grass along I-80.
Authorities were looking for the car and its driver.
– Salt Lake Tribune reporter Paighten Harkins contributed to this report.
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