Strawberry Fire burns more than 40 acres of forest near Duck Creek

July 20, 2020 Utah Channel 3

CEDAR CITY — Crews from multiple agencies are battling a forest fire that started Monday afternoon near Duck Creek Village in Kane County.

According to a news release issued at 7 p.m. Monday by Color Country Interagency Fire Management, the blaze, officially known as the Strawberry Fire, was first reported at approximately 2 p.m. in the Bowers Flat area, just north of state Route 14 and near the Mammoth Creek Road, northeast of Duck Creek.

Bureau of Land Management fire management specialist Nick Howell told Cedar City News at 9 p.m that the fire had been mapped at approximately 43 acres, down from its initial estimated size of 70 acres cited in the news release.

The blaze is burning through mostly Dixie National Forest timber land, with 0% containment as of Monday evening.

“No containment yet, but crews are getting some good work done,” Howell added.

No structures are currently threatened, although some camp trailers are reportedly in danger of being damaged or destroyed.

There have been no injuries associated with the Strawberry Fire, nor are there any evacuations in effect, officials report.

“Firefighters are making good progress working the fire’s perimeter to meet containment objectives using aircraft and ground crews,” the news release added.

On Tuesday morning, Howell told Cedar City News the cause of the fire has been determined to be lightning.

Responding firefighters include crews from Cedar Mountain Fire Protection District, the BLM and Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. Resources that have been deployed at the scene include four helicopters, two single-engine air tankers, two large air tankers, three hand crews, eight fire engines, two bulldozers and one water tender truck.

Updated July 21, 6:45 a.m. to include reported cause of fire.