Hundreds forced to abandon homes as Utah wildfire spreads

A wildfire near the southern Utah ski resort of Brian Head has forced hundreds of people to evacuate and has now doubled in size amid high winds, authorities said on Thursday.

The fire started on June 17 and has now grown to 8,000 acres, while more than 700 people have been forced out of their homes.

The blaze is one of several burning in the western US as extreme heat makes it difficult for firefighters to tamp down the flames.

According to Utah’s governor, someone using a torch to burn weeds ignited the fire.

(CGTN)