The Pole Creek and Bald Mountain fires reached 74,757 acres on Sunday morning, with additional evacuations.
Highway 6, at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon north of Helper, Carbon County, reopened after 9 am Sunday, but with the warning that it could again intermittently shut down due to of the fire. It was closed again after 14 hours.
Spanish Oaks, near Spanish Fork, is still in pre-evacuation condition, while Diamond Fork Canyon, Elk Ridge and Woodland Hills are being evacuated.
The Payson and Santaquin canyons are both closed and the Nebo Loop Road in Nephi Canyon is closed.
The teams said Sunday's priority will be to continue building and upgrading existing lines "to protect the Woodland Hills and Elk Ridge areas." Because of the steepness of the terrain and their inaccessibility, firefighters are looking for less risky and less exposed containment lines.
The Pole Brook fire burned 61,248 acres and is contained at 2% from Sunday morning. The Mount Bald fire reached 13,509 acres at 0% confinement.
Originally, Sunday morning, the fire did not cross the US Highway 6, although the flames are about a mile away from the Spanish Fork Canyon Covered Bridge area, said KJ Pollock , Public Affairs Specialist at the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. However, later Sunday afternoon, the fire jumped on the road.
Fire officials gathered Sunday morning at the Spanish Forks Exhibition Center to discuss other updates.
According to the US Forest Service's Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest on Facebook, those who manage the Pole Creek fire have allocated resources to the covered bridge where a protection group of the structure is now assigned and adds sprinklers.
Cities having been evacuated, congregations in the surrounding area have invited displaced residents to attend their services on Sunday morning. Prayer messages for first responders and community safety have ensued since the fires erupted on Thursday – and Sunday is no different.
The Nebo School District thanked the community on Sunday morning for the flow of donations and support for displaced people and firefighters.
Due to the overwhelming response, the Red Cross and themselves are asking community members to suspend the provision of donations for the foreseeable future.
"There is a waiting list of people offering space in their home for the evacuees. Thank you all!" says Sergeant Spencer Cannon, with the Utah County Sheriff's Office.
