A fast-moving wildfire in the US state of Utah has rapidly expanded across thousands of hectares, triggering mandatory evacuations and forcing authorities to shut down critical transport routes as emergency crews battle to protect residential areas.

The blaze, officially designated as the "Iron Fire," intensified significantly within a short period, ripping through approximately 8,800 hectares of land in Utah's Iron County region, according to official updates from Utah Fire Info.

Strong winds in the region have further accelerated the spread of the flames toward populated zones. In response, a mandatory evacuation order was swiftly put into effect for the city of Eureka. Firefighting crews are working under challenging conditions to establish defensive perimeters and prevent the wildfire from breaching residential areas.

Local authorities disclosed that the fire originally ignited on private property before breaching containment lines and spreading across three distinct sectors.

Due to thick smoke and the proximity of the flames, a major highway in the affected area has been closed to all traffic. Officials noted that emergency response plans have been fully activated to guide residents to designated safe zones, adding that the evacuation orders and road closures will be re-evaluated tomorrow based on containment progress and weather developments on the ground. (ILKHA)