Utah Firefighters Monitor 5,000-Acre Blaze
The fires are burning in an area that officials had planned to burn anyway.
``If you can have Mother Nature do it, that is a very effective way of doing it, a very cost-effective way to do it,'' said David Boyd, fire information officer for Color Country Fire Management Group.
The fires started Wednesday evening 12 miles southwest of Enterprise in the Dixie National Forest.
The Hawkins 1, Hawkins 2 and Pine Park fires are now being handled collectively as the West Zone Complex Fire.
No private property or structures were threatened.
Boyd said the fire was burning in a good pattern - clearing certain sections but leaving others intact.
``If we can open up some of the habitat it makes it good for wildlife. It makes it good for livestock,'' he said.
It is expected that the fire will continue to increase in size over the next several days.
If the fire exceeds management objectives or smoke thresholds, firefighters will begin actively battling it.
A 20-member fire crew and three engines were on the site Thursday, making sure it remains west of the General Steam Road to Enterprise Reservoir.
Roads to the area as well as the Honeycomb Rocks campground have been closed for safety.