Local emergency officials reported that a mandatory evacuation directive was put into place for properties situated between West Henefer Road and Hog Back Summit as the Rocky Canyon Fire rapidly expanded across Summit and Morgan counties.
Fresh update reports indicate that the Summit County Sheriff’s Office mandated evacuations for all residential properties located between West Henefer Road and Hog Back Summit.
Evacuation Orders and Affected Zones in Morgan and Summit Counties
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation order for all homes between Hog Back Summit and West Henefer Road, according to update reports. Residents in the affected area were placed under “Go” status and told to evacuate immediately without delaying to gather additional belongings. Additionally, an evacuation order was issued for homes and structures stretching from Whites Crossing to East Canyon Dam in Morgan, Utah, according to Utah Fire Info officials. State wildfire officials stated that the evacuations near East Canyon Dam were necessary because the area would be impacted by a burn operation.
Highway 66 was closed in the vicinity of the blaze, and Hog Back Summit was placed under “Ready” status, meaning residents there should prepare to leave if conditions worsen, according to field reports. The north end of East Canyon State Park, including the Dixie Creek Campground, was evacuated earlier as the fire expanded, according to local authorities.
Shelters and Community Resources Established
Emergency response teams established multiple resources for displaced residents and large animals affected by the evacuations. A temporary shelter opened at the Henefer LDS Chapel located at 709 N. Main St. in Henefer, according to local coverage. Another shelter was set up at the MHS Trojan Century Center at 699 E. Young Street in Morgan. For residents with livestock, large animals can be taken to the Morgan County Fairgrounds.
Summit County officials scheduled an in-person community update meeting for Sunday at 7:00 p.m. at the LDS Church meetinghouse at 709 N. Main Street in Henefer to provide residents with the latest information regarding response efforts and containment progress.
Firefighting Operations and Resource Deployment
State wildfire officials initially stated they expected to have the blaze fully contained by the end of Saturday, but shifting conditions caused the fire to make a significant push, according to KUTV and FOX 13 News Utah. Firefighting helicopters are actively using East Canyon Reservoir to conduct water drops on the flames. Officials confirmed the fire is human-caused, though an exact ignition cause remains under investigation.
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