Two boys, ages 14 and 17, are being questioned by the Utah County attorney's office in connection with a fire that has so far burned 630 acres on Maple Mountain east of Mapleton.
Sunday the two Mapleton youths were brought to the firebreak by the Forest Service to show them firsthand what has happened, said Loyal Clark, public information officer from Uinta Forest.The Middle Slide fire, which has not been contained, is the largest fire in the Uinta National Forest this summer. Some 180 firefighters, including three crews from Pocatello, Idaho, are battling the blaze. The firefighting effort is being directed by an overhead management team that arrived at the scene Sunday afternoon.
Because of the extremely steep terrain, lengthy hike to the fire and rolling rocks, the Forest Service is depending heavily on helicopter water drops to control the blaze, May said. A second helicopter arrived Sunday to help make water drops as well as transport firefighters to the fire's flanks. An air tanker also dropped several loads of retardant on the fire Saturday and Sunday.
A third helicopter was brought to the scene Monday to assist in transporting the crews.
May said the Forest Service hoped that low temperatures and high humidity expected Sunday night would slow the fire down.
Mapleton City, Red Cross workers and Relief Societies members of Mapleton were providing food and drinks for the firefighters, who are camped in a Mapleton city park. "It makes a big difference when you have the support of the local residents," Clark said.
Three firefighters have suffered minor injuries while fighting the blaze.