Hundreds of firefighters tackle wildfire near Cedar City, residents remain displaced

CEDAR CITY, Utah ( ABC4 ) — Fire officials held a community meeting on Tuesday evening to field questions on the ongoing efforts to contain the wildfire that recently prompted evacuations near Cedar City.

The Graff Point fire started just five miles south of Cedar City on July 12 after the area was struck by lightning, according to local fire officials . In the past five days, the fire has grown to 544 acres and is now 47% contained. More than 360 people are working to contain the fire.

Due to the wildfire’s proximity to the city, at least 20 structures are threatened and have been evacuated. Several roads have also been closed, including Tipple Road and Kannara Mountain Road going over to Kolob Road.

On Tuesday, July 16, the community met at the Heritage Center Theatre in Cedar City to discuss the fire and get answers to questions. Representatives from several agencies working on the wildfire attended the meeting.

Randy Peterson, the local deputy district manager for the Bureau of Land Management district , said when the fire first started it “was pretty active” and looked “scary on the hill.”

“It was gaining a lot of attention from the community and a lot of folks were awfully concerned with the size of the column and the active flames that they were seeing out there,” Peterson said.

He said several agencies have since responded to tackle the flames. The National Park Service Incident Commander Mack McFarland said firefighters from across the western states have come to the area to help fight the Graff Point fire.

“Before we got here, there was an incredible amount of work that was done to keep that fire from coming into town,” McFarland said praising the local firefighters.

He said his crews are working long hours to fully contain the fire, with some sleeping in tents and on the ground near the site. He assured residents that they would bring in more resources if the fire spreads outside of the containment lines, but that he has “very high confidence that we’ll be able to keep this fire in its existing footprint.”

Community members asked questions about when the evacuations and road closures would lift, to which officials said there is no timeline as they are waiting for the threatened area to no longer be at risk.

McFarland reminded landowners to remove any fuels or wildfire threats around their property even if they are not near the flames.

“If it’s not this fire, it might be another one. The reality of having another fire in Color Country around here is high,” he said.

For information on how to protect your property, visit the Department of Natural Resources page .

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