CEDAR CITY — Firefighters continue to battle a wildfire that started in Beaver County on Tuesday evening.
The Sheep Rock Fire was reported shortly before 5 p.m. on private land near Sheep Rock Road and North Creek Loop Road, a few miles northeast of the city of Beaver. The fire had burned 25 acres by 6 p.m. Tuesday and was listed at 77 acres on Wednesday.
As reported by KSL News Radio, Rocky Mountain Power, as a precautionary measure, de-energized a number of its substations Tuesday evening, causing temporary power outages in the area, including in Beaver, Cedar City, Minersville, Parowan and New Harmony.
Thursday morning, officials issued an update stating that the Sheep Rock Fire remains at 77 acres and is now at 40% containment.
“Yesterday, progress was made with mopping up the edges of the fire and securing the perimeters,” Jacqueline Russell, acting field manager for U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Color Country District, told Cedar City News. “There is minimal smoke.”
In addition to BLM’s Color Country District and West Desert District, firefighters and resources have also been deployed from U.S. Forest Service (Fishlake National Forest), National Park Service (Zion National Park), and Beaver County Fire Department.
There are currently one heavy rescue fire engine and two Type 6 brush trucks working on-site, Russell said, adding, “Suppression and mop-up remain priorities for firefighters.”
The fire is believed to be human-caused, although the exact cause is still under investigation, she added.
New 🔥 Start: #SheepRockFire is located in Beaver Co. and started on private land. The fire is approximately 30 acres in size and visible from I-15. Multiple ground and air resources are on the scene and working on the fire. The cause is under investigation. #ffslkth pic.twitter.com/Zsc6GRDazm
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 31, 2024
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