NEOLA, Utah (AP) - A wildfire that has scorched about 46 square miles in northeastern Utah and killed three people has prompted the evacuation of hundreds of people from nearby towns and forced authorities to close a national forest to the public.

The fire started Friday morning north of Neola, about 100 miles east of Salt Lake City, and on Sunday morning crews had it about 5 percent contained. The cause had not been determined.

The fire began spreading into the Ashley National Forest Sunday afternoon, prompting federal authorities to close it to public use.

The small communities of Whiterocks, Farm Creek, Paradise and Tridell were evacuated Saturday. Some residents in Tridell had been allowed to return.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said about 300 people are under a mandatory evacuation. Another 150 homes in Dryfork Canyon, about 8 miles northeast of the fire, could be threatened by Tuesday, said Derek Jensen, a FEMA spokesman.

At nearby Vernal, there was little wind Sunday, the temperatures hit 95 degrees and midday humidity was only 10 percent, according to the National Weather Service.

A U.S. Forest Service command team that travels the country fighting the largest fires joined local crews Sunday and took over direction of the firefighting efforts.

In Montana, fire managers on Sunday were reducing personnel assigned to a blaze that had burned nearly 6 square miles in the Gallatin National Forest. Evacuation orders remained in effect Sunday for several dozen summer homes, the Madison Arm Resort, some campgrounds and a ranger station.

In California, the wildfire that destroyed at least 254 homes south of Lake Tahoe was 95 percent contained late Sunday, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Crews also battled a wildfire Sunday that had blackened more than 482 acres of brush in a rugged area of Santa Barbara County near popular campsites and swimming holes.

That fire, which started Saturday evening, was 60 percent contained Sunday morning, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Robert Rainwater said. The blaze had closed some campgrounds, but no residents had been ordered to leave their homes, he said. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Fire crews north of Los Angeles had a 19-square-mile blaze 90 percent contained, state fire department spokesman Shawn Sternick said. Twelve houses and six other buildings had been destroyed since the fire broke out a week ago in steep canyons south of the San Joaquin Valley, officials said.