This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Firefighters spent Father's Day battling three wildfires in rural Utah.
Sunny skies and high temperatures dominated the state Sunday, and hot and dry conditions will rule through the middle of the week, increasing the chance of new wildfires.
Three fires continued to burn out of control Sunday. One fire threatened uninhabited structures on the Tavaputs Plateau in eastern Carbon County.
The Rock Creek Fire, sparked by lightning, burned about 15 miles east of East Carbon and had scarred about 180 acres of steep, rugged terrain. By Sunday afternoon, the blaze was 5 percent contained.
Meanwhile, two fires burning in the Manti-La Sal National Forest continued to rage. The Dark Canyon Fire had burned 215 acres in the Dark Canyon Wilderness. It continued to grow rapidly, and a helicopter crew was monitoring its spread, fire officials said.
To the northeast, the Lackey Fan Fire continued to burn about 3 miles northwest of La Sal. A lightning strike Thursday ignited that blaze, which had burned about 915 acres as of Sunday afternoon. Nine 20-person crews were expected to attack the fire, including help from out of the state.
The Dark Canyon Fire was 5 percent contained and the Lackey Fan Fire was 30 percent contained as of Sunday night.
Also in the Manti-La Sal National Forest, smoke jumpers made progress against smaller fires in the Abajo Mountains at Butts Point, North Long Point and Horse Mountain.
jstecklein@sltrib.comTwitter @sltribjanelle