As the costs of firefighting increase, officials tout success by protecting homes in Utah County.

SPANISH FORK – As teams continue to fight combined fires in Utah County, authorities have indicated that the rising bill exceeds $ 6 million.

The cost of fire fighting Pole Creek has reached $ 4.7 million. Meanwhile, the Bald Mountain Fire cost $ 1.5 million at last report, but "we know it's (now) more than that," said Incident Commander Todd Pechota .

But last week, Governor Gary Herbert said that if fires hit homes, this could result in "the biggest monetary loss" in the state's history.

Fire officials said Tuesday afternoon that the teams had managed to keep the structures out of range of the flames.

"Protecting the structure in the covered bridge area is our main mission right now, and we have tremendous strength in protecting these structures and infrastructure," said Marty Adell, Pole Creek Fire Operations Commander.

He said that only a small metal shed was claimed by fire.

The Mount Bald fire was controlled to 12% Tuesday night and has so far burned over 15,600 acres, while the adjacent Pole Brook fire burned more than 74,500 acres and was 25% content. About 6,000 people remain evacuated because of the flames.

According to the fire officials, the weather has cooperated well over the past two days, allowing crews and crews from Hotshot to progress.

"We breathe a sigh of relief," said Dan Dallas, chief of the fire operations section.

Teams working on the Pole Mountain Fire focused Tuesday on reducing fuel on the way to the fire, preparing the area with watering hoses, and building a bulldozer line to create a "greater defensive barrier".

Adell said that if the fire went up at Spanish Fork Peak, the wind would help to fire "on itself a bit" and different types of vegetation would slow it down.

Meanwhile, on the Bald Mountain Fire crews were building a "control function" around the perimeter on Tuesday. A control element is a fire line created by bulldozers and shunting crews, which creates a "natural barrier" against the advance of fire, Pechota said.

Aside from a firefighter wounded in base camp on Monday, Pechota said there were no casualties and no major structures were lost.

"Goal # 1 is the safety of stakeholders and the public, and it is a sacred goal, and we continue to achieve that goal," he said.

Regarding the return of the evacuated residents, Pechota hesitated to give an estimate.

"We are doing everything we can to bring them home," he said.

Tuesday's fire began to move "to a more favorable terrain" and did not reach the bulldozer line, said Pechota at a community meeting Tuesday night at Salem Hills High School. .

Fear of firefighters, however, allows residents to return home, but must evacuate them again the next day due to a sudden change in wind.

The authorities stated that the community had mobilized and that many evacuees were staying with friends and family members.

"The amount of support that the community brings to us … the people in this area, not only among them, welcoming their neighbors … but the support is incredible to say the least," said Adell.

Airbnb, a condominium company, has also activated a program that allows people to offer evacuees free stays at home. More information can be found on the Airbnb website, airbnb.com/welcome/evacuees/utahwildfires.

No new evacuation was ordered on Tuesday. Diamond Fork, Sheep Creek and Hobble Creek Canyon Right Fork remained under mandatory evacuation. According to the sheriff's office, Left Fork Hobble Creek has been put in pre-evacuation state.

All residents of Woodland Hills, Elk Ridge and the covered bridge community, near the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon, have left their homes since last Thursday.

The Rocky Mountain Type 1 Incident Management Team took command of the fire on Sunday. Lightning triggered the fire of the bald mountain on August 24th. Lightning also unleashed the Pole Brook fire on September 6, which quickly gained momentum due to drought and strong winds. The Pole Creek fire has now burned to the scar left by Coal Hollow fire earlier this year.

With firefighter teams gaining ground, Governor Gary Herbert traveled to Taiwan on Tuesday night to join Utahns on a long-standing trade mission to the region. Herbert was originally scheduled to travel with the group to South Korea earlier in the week, but remained because of the forest fires.

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Paul Edwards, Herbert's deputy chief of staff, said the governor felt he could leave the state after five days of fire watch in Utah County because he trusted in the fire plan.

"He had very productive conversations with the leaders there, the governor traveled the areas most affected by the fire" and spent time with the command of the incident, said Edwards.

A Facebook page has been created to keep residents informed of the Bald Mountain fire. Residents can sign up to receive updates on both fires at alerts.utahcounty.gov.

contributing: Lisa Riley Roche