Erratic winds hit Superior fire
<p>A helicopter drops water on the West Mullan Fire near Superior. The fire that started Sunday has covered 1,800 acres northwest of the town. (Keith Cousins photo/Mineral Independent)</p>
SUPERIOR — Firefighters battling the West Mullan Fire near Superior used bulldozers and other equipment Wednesday to cut a fire line to prevent the fire from advancing on a Bonneville Power Administration line along the northern edge of the fire.
The fire, which started Sunday, has burned 1,800 acres. Some of the burned acreage is due to burnouts set by fire crews trying to protect houses west of town.
Residents of 50 homes along Pardee and East Pardee Creeks and West Mullan Road are under mandatory evacuation orders, although no structures have been damaged by the fire.
Fire information officer Pat McKelvey says the fire is burning in steep hills and gulches and at times burning logs have rolled down steep slopes toward homes.
Fire activity picked up substantially late Wednesday afternoon.
“Right now, we’re getting really erratic winds,” McKelvey said. “We’re pulling firefighters off of direct attack. The fire is getting real erratic.”
McKelvey said he anticipates the burned acreage to increase significantly because of recent fire behavior.
A firefighting force of 353 people is involved in the effort on the West Mullan Fire.