Wildfire Threatens Historic Kimberly Mining District
A wildfire named the Silver King Fire ignited Friday afternoon and is now threatening historic mining structures in the Old Kimberly Mining District, located in Piute County, Utah. The fire is situated about eight miles west of Marysvale and has spread over an area of more than 70 acres, as reported by Utah Fire Info.
Efforts to control the Silver King Fire involve multiple air and ground resources. The exact cause of the fire has not been determined yet.
The Silver King Fire is occurring a few miles north of another ongoing wildfire, the Little Twist Fire, which has expanded to approximately 4,200 acres and is currently 35% contained. Firefighting teams continue to engage heavily in suppression activities.
The Kimberly Mine, situated in the Tushar Mountains, dates back to the Gold Rush era of the late 1800s. Dubbed the “Queen of Utah” gold camps, it once employed around 300 miners at its peak in the early 1900s. Though the town of Kimberly is now a ghost town, its mines remain accessible to visitors.
Local firefighting teams remain vigilant as efforts to contain and manage these wildfires continue.