Evacuation order issued for Utah subdivision as Black Canyon wildfire expands

A Level 3 GO evacuation order has been issued for the Reeder Subdivision in Emery County, compelling residents to leave by 6 p.m. Monday, officials said. The directive follows rapid expansion of the Black Canyon Fire, which started after a lightning strike in the Manti-La Sal National Forest near Ephraim and surged to 500 acres by Monday, spilling over county lines. The sheriff’s office is conducting door-to-door checks and sending alerts to known property owners as wind forecasts suggest the fire could be pushed toward the subdivision.

Over 70 firefighters are battling the blaze, which remains 0 % contained, while red-flag warnings from the National Weather Service warn of heat, wind, and low humidity that could accelerate fire spread. Nearby roads and the popular Potters Pond campground are closed, and the fire joins the larger Widemouth 2 Fire, together pushing Utah’s total burned area past 400,000 acres this year.