Widemouth 2 Fire Tops 84000 Acres With No Containment In Sight

Firefighters continue working to strengthen containment efforts on the Widemouth 2 Fire as a new incident management team takes command of the growing wildfire in central Utah.

According to a press release, the Great Basin Complex Interagency Incident Management Team 2 assumed command of the fire Wednesday morning and immediately focused on reinforcing fire lines along the western edge of the blaze. Those efforts build on work completed by the outgoing Northern Utah Type 3 team, which successfully protected the communities of Kanosh and Fillmore.

Courtesy U.S. Forest Service

Crews are constructing a continuous fire line from south to north toward Holden, with plans to connect a dozer line to the 2026 Wild Goose Fire burn area to the north and east. Fire managers are also evaluating several strategies to slow the fire's advance to the east and south, where active smoke columns continue to develop each day.

Crews are constructing a continuous fire line from south to north toward Holden, with plans to connect a dozer line to the 2026 Wild Goose Fire burn area to the north and east. Fire managers are also evaluating several strategies to slow the fire's advance to the east and south, where active smoke columns continue to develop each day.

Courtesy U.S. Forest Service

A community meeting was held Tuesday evening in Richfield to update residents on firefighting operations. According to the press release, attendees were also informed that firefighting resources remain limited as nearly 100 large wildfires continue burning across the country. A recording of the meeting is available on the Fishlake National Forest Facebook page.

Weather conditions remain a significant concern. Hot, dry and windy conditions are expected to persist through the next several days, with wind gusts reaching up to 25 miles per hour in some locations. Westerly and northwesterly winds are expected to push the fire into steep, rugged terrain, where firefighters anticipate very intense fire behavior.

Residents are encouraged to monitor the Millard County and Sevier County Sheriff's Office social media pages for current evacuation information. Officials remind the public that if a "GO" evacuation order is issued, affected residents will receive alerts on their mobile phones and may also be notified through door-to-door contact.

Courtesy U.S. Forest Service

Extensive closures also remain in effect across the area. The Fishlake National Forest has closed designated forest lands, roads and trails within the Fillmore Ranger District through Oct. 31, while the Bureau of Land Management has closed public lands in portions of Millard County affected by the fire. The restrictions are intended to protect public safety and allow firefighters to work without interference.

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The Widemouth 2 Fire has now burned 84,409 acres and remains 0% contained. The lightning-caused fire started July 27 approximately six miles south of Kanosh within the Fillmore Ranger District of the Fishlake National Forest.