Tuesday’s rain, and even a bit of snow, could transform the Elizabeth Ridge Fire near Fish Lake from a weeks-long inferno into a blaze that burns for just a few days.The fire was first reported around 2 p.m. on Saturday in the Uinta Mountains, north of North Slope Road and west of Lyman, Wyoming. As of Wednesday, the Elizabeth Ridge Fire was 20% contained with 105 acres burned.Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest spokesperson Toby Weed said the initial location was close to the roadway, but winds picked up the fire and caused the blaze to spread east quickly through heavy timber. At least 15 county fire trucks, two Forest Service engines, four helicopters, multiple hand crews and almost 100 people total were working on the fire.“It was a full-on firefight,” Weed said.Air support retrieved water from nearby Fish Lake to drop it on the fire, which ensured a quick return time. Retardant was also dropped to keep the fire from expanding to the north.Evacuations were ordered in the area, and a handful of hunters were cleared out. There were some old structures in the area, but Weed said there wasn’t an immediate threat to those areas.The blaze burned all day on Saturday and throughout the night. Hand crews arrived on Sunday, creating a heavy presence for firefighting efforts on the ground. Firefighters made great progress with slight rain dampening the heat. Winds picked up again later in the afternoon, which tested the containment lines. Weed said the boundaries seemed to be holding while firefighters attacked the north side. He hoped precipitation would help cool down the blaze at the start of the week. However, there was increased fire activity on Monday night as the wind continued. Yet wet weather on Tuesday morning helped offset the conditions. There was hard rain near Fish Lake with some snowfall in the higher elevations, which help to put out jackpots of heat deep within the timber.There’s still heavy smoke in some areas such as stumps and Beetle Kill Pine, which serve as 1,000-hour fuel sources, but Weed said the fire itself looks decent. Containment didn’t change from earlier in the week.Weed speculated the Elizabeth Ridge Fire would burn for at least a few more days due to the amount of timber in the area. He said the fire is comparable to other burns in forest areas like Idaho rather than the brush fires that are common in Utah. Without rain and snow, the fire might’ve lasted for weeks.Officials determined the Elizabeth Ridge Fire was human-caused, but it’s unclear whether it was intentional. The investigation is ongoing.Fire danger in Summit County has been high since August, and the risk still exists with the changing of the seasons. Weed said monsoonal rains helped keep conditions in check last month, but they’ve already dried out again — igniting the possibility of a fire.Utah’s wildfire season typically runs from July 1 to Oct. 1. There have been 1,126 wildfires this year, 609 of which were human-caused, that have burned more than 57,000 acres.The Elizabeth Ridge Fire was the third-largest active wildfire in the state as of Tuesday and just outside the top 30 for the year.Text SCFIREINFO to 888777 for updates on Summit County fire outlook, conditions, prescribed burns and more.The post Rain, snow slows Elizabeth Ridge Fire appeared first on Park Record.