Highway 40 in Fort Duchesne was closed for several hours on Tuesday due to a brush fire dubbed the East Ute Plaza Fire. Fort Duchesne Police Department shared after 4pm that there was a massive field fire south of Ute Petroleum/Ute Plaza. They asked the public to avoid the area as it was spreading rapidly and to not get in the way of emergency vehicles. The fire caused low visibility in the area, especially due to the wind. UDOT reported that Highway 40 reopened around 7pm. It’s estimated the fire burned around 20 acres and that an initial evacuation warning was issued as a precautionary measure. As of last report, there was no damage to residences or buildings in the area. Crews continued to monitor hot spots overnight and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
