Show Primitive are area fre forest ire fire succumbs to mass efforts ets The largest forest fire In the history of the Ashley National Forest was declared under control Monday at 6 pm p.m. after raging for one week destroying nearly acres of timberlands timber timberlands timberlands lands in the High Uinta Wilderness Primitive area reported Robert A A. A Rowen Ashley Forest Supervisor Some pretty tough decisions had to be made on this Ibis fire and it fooled most of us the first couple of days said Supervisor Rowen TilE THE FIRE FInE was located in the Squaw Basin area in the Rock Creek drainage just inside the Primitive area north of Duchesne At first it was estimated the fire could be controlled with only hand tools by Wednesday Because of the history of the area having no known high fire incidence no serious problem was anticipated in keeping within the primitive area mandate of no mechanized equipment within the area WHEN WilEN THE TIlE fire exceeded original estimates Tuesday evening the decision was made early Wednesday morning to suppress the fire with all reasonable means available including power chain saws mechanized pumps helicopters and fire retardant bombers By this time the fire had gained and went from the estimated acres to finally 2910 acres before it could be stopped about Friday evening stated 1 Mr Rowen Bowen regional Inter-regional fire fighting crews were called upon from Idaho Oregon and Washington nea nearing ring nea nearly a at t the pM peak k CONCURRENTLY Y with the Squaw Basin fire other fires were fought near Paradise Park Friday and contained to 15 acres and in Pole Creek Sunday Sunday Sunday Sun Sun- day which was limited to two acres Both these fires were man caused and were limited to small because fire firc firefighters firefighters fighters were near and got right on them explained Mr Rowen While Ashley Forest fire firefighters firefighters firefighters fighters were busy with their fires the State Forest Department battled a n 1600 acre fire firc in the Book Cliffs in the Willow Creek area called One Eye in Grand County State Forester Paul L L. L reported this ibis fire was contained and near control Monday ONE OF the main problems of the Book Cliffs and the High fires were their Inac inac- Combined with the worst conditions for burning low humidity and high temperatures the fires were hard nard to contain and bring under con control t j k If H j j f 3 I y f t 1 l 1 f o t. t t f t 1 I f i f Sf S. S k r I 01 q 1 L. L S t s 4 f fa H a L y k rl PRIMITIVE AREA forest fire In the Squaw Basin of the High taxed the judgement of man over nature to know when to step in and prevent natures nature's cleaning up process in areas set aside as untouched primitive areas This Forest Service aerial photo shows some of the wilderness area burning during last weeks week's fire |