Saddle Fire north of Midway has burned 646 acres

MIDWAY — Air support and 150 fighters are working to suppress the Saddle Fire, which was 40% contained and had consumed 646 just north of Midway as of 7 p.m. Wednesday.

State fire authorities on the Utah Fire Info website reported that firefighters made significant progress battling the flames Wednesday.

The blaze, which started Tuesday afternoon in the Interlaken and Dutch Hollow area, was the fourth fire to occur in the area within a week — circumstances the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office dubbed suspicious.

Police apprehended a juvenile suspect in connection to the fires Tuesday evening around 6 p.m. According to the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office, it appears the juvenile acted alone. Authorities on Utah Fire Info confirmed the fire was human-caused.

Further investigation is ongoing and the office said on Facebook it is unable to release additional information at this time. For now, the focus is on residents’ and first responders’ safety as well as the “preservation of homes and other property,” according to the post.

As a precaution, the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office urged residents to be ready to evacuate their homes if need be. An evacuation site was set up at a church building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 165 N. Center. A previous evacuation order for residents at the top part of Interlaken was lifted at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Given the location of the Saddle Fire, Utah State Parks tweeted that Wasatch Mountain State Park closed the Dutch Hollow Trail System as well as Phosphate and The Face trails.

The Utah National Guard helicopters are assisting the 150 firefighters from both local and state agencies in fighting the blaze. According to Utah National Guard social media, the helicopters are utilizing water buckets to reach areas that are tricky for firefighters to access.