Fast-moving blaze in southwest Utah destroys a dozen structures and forces evacuations

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Fast-moving blaze in southwest Utah destroys a dozen structures and forces evacuations

2025-06-21 10:12 Last Updated At：10:20

PINE VALLEY, Utah (AP) — A fast-moving fire fueled by high winds on Friday has destroyed a dozen structures, including homes, and forced some in a rural area of southwest Utah to evacuate.

The Forsyth Fire started Thursday in the Pine Valley Mountains and has already burned about 2.3 square miles (5.96 square kilometers), said Karl Hunt, a spokesperson for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands. It has forced people to evacuate from the Pine Valley Community and nearby campgrounds, although the number of people who have fled was not immediately clear.

The blaze, which is about 15 miles (24.1 kilometers) northeast of St. George and includes steep, mountainous terrain, has also threatened 400 structures.

By Friday evening, the fire remained uncontained despite 150 people battling the blaze, including two hotshot crews from Utah and Nevada, according to Hunt. Teams were using helicopters, more than a dozen engines and water tenders.

The cause of the fire has not been determined and is under investigation, Hunt said.

He urged the public to stay away, saying: “Let the firefighters do what they do best and try to get this fire under control.”

There has been a red flag warning in the area since Thursday because of high wind gusts, low humidity and high temperatures.

Hunt said the blaze came fairly early in the year, following a drought declaration by Utah's governor.

“So the fuel is drier this year as well. And so if you combine the drier fuel with the high winds and it’s ripe for a wildfire,” he said. “Kind of like the perfect storm.”

There have been no injuries or deaths, according to Hunt.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said on the social media site X that they are closely monitoring the fire and urged the public to follow local officials' instructions.

“If you’re in the area, please evacuate immediately," he said. “First responders are doing heroic work, but they need your cooperation to save lives.”

Dozens presumed dead and about 100 injured in fire at Swiss Alps bar during New Year's celebration

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) — Dozens of people are presumed dead and about 100 injured, most of them seriously, following a fire at a Swiss Alps bar during a New Year’s celebration, police said Thursday.

“Several tens of people” were killed at the bar, Le Constellation, Valais Canton police commander Frédéric Gisler said.

Work is underway to identify the victims and inform their families but “that will take time and for the time being it is premature to give you a more precise figure," Gisler said.

Beatrice Pilloud, attorney general of the Valais Canton, said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire. Experts have not yet been able to go inside the wreckage.

“At no moment is there a question of any kind of attack,” Pilloud said.

Officials called the blaze an “embrasement généralisé,” a firefighting term describing how a blaze can trigger the release of combustible gases that can then ignite violently and cause what English-speaking firefighters would call a flashover or a backdraft.

“This evening should have been a moment of celebration and coming together, but it turned into a nightmare,” said Mathias Rénard, head of the regional government.

The injured were so numerous that the intensive care unit and operating theater at the regional hospital quickly hit full capacity, Rénard said.

Helicopters and ambulances rushed to the scene to assist victims, including some from different countries, officials said.

“We are devastated,” Frédéric Gisler, commander of the Valais Cantonal police, said during a news conference.

The injured were so numerous that the intensive care unit and operating theater at the regional hospital quickly hit full capacity, according to regional councilor Mathias Rénard.

The municipality had banned New Year’s Eve fireworks due to lack of rainfall in the past month, according to its website.

In a region busy with tourists skiing on the slopes, the authorities have called on the local population to show caution in the coming days to avoid any accidents that could require medical resources that are already overwhelmed.

The community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, just 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the Matterhorn, one of the most famous Alpine peaks, and 130 kilometers (81 miles) south of Zurich.

The highest point of Crans-Montana, with a population of 10,000 residents, sits at an elevation of nearly 3,000 meters (1.86 miles), according to the municipality’s website, which says officials are seeking to move away from a tourist culture and attract high-tech research and development.

The municipality was formed only nine years ago, on Jan. 1, 2017, when multiple towns merged. It extends over 590 hectares (2.3 square miles) from the Rhône Valley to the Plaine Morte glacier.

Crans-Montana is one of the top race venues on the World Cup circuit in Alpine skiing and will host the next world championships over two weeks in February 2027.

In four weeks’ time, the resort will host the best men’s and women’s downhill racers for their last events before going to the Milan Cortina Olympics, which open Feb. 6.

Crans-Montana also is a premium venue in international golf. The Crans-sur-Sierre club stages the European Masters each August on a picturesque course with stunning mountains views.