Fire crews in southwestern Utah were cut in half Tuesday, and containment was projected for Sunday morning, said spokeswoman Fran Reynolds.

The eastern end of the blaze was being mopped up, while burnout operations were going well on the southern end, said fire dispatcher Ron Taylor.The fire, being battled by 553 firefighters and workers, was 26 percent contained as of late Monday.

As a backup, crews were constructing a line two miles south of the perimeter, but Reynolds said that no longer was considered necessary and was being abandoned.

She said nine of the 18 fire crews were released, leaving 180 firefighters on the blaze that was started by lightning July 31, burning through pinion, juniper and sagebrush.

Meanwhile, about 150 firefighters, aided by two helicopters and an air tanker, battled a 450-acre fire 15 miles west of Lund in southwestern Utah.

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Spokeswoman Anne Stanworth said the fire reported Sunday was burning in ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, mountain mahogany and aspen.

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