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Slinkard Fire spreads overnight in an area south of Topaz Lake

Kurt Hildebrand
khildebrand@recordcourier.com
A photo of the Slinkard Fire burning on the hills above Highway 395 on Wednesday night, Aug. 30.
COURTESY PHOTO

The Slinkard Fire burned over Highway 395 south of Topaz Lake overnight, and up to a 4-mile stretch of the highway.

A federal fire report issued Thursday morning, Aug. 31, said the fire, which has grown since its last estimate of 3,000 acres, showed extreme fire behavior on Wednesday, Aug. 30.

Flames ran spotted and groups of trees torched, according to a report issued on Thursday morning by the National Interagency Coordination Center.

Liberty Utilities reported its poles and other equipment have burned, creating conditions for an extended power outage for Coleville, Walker and Topaz.

Highway 395 is closed from Holbrook Junction south to Bridgeport, and is not expected to reopen while the fire continues to burn.

While structures, including the RV camps along the west side of Topaz Lake are threatened, none have burned, according to the report.

At last report, the nearly 140 firefighters working on the fire have not managed to make any progress toward a Sept. 10 containment date.

Four hand crews, 19 engines and three helicopters are working the fire that has so far cost $200,000 to fight.


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