Updated Monday, July 6th at noon: The Babylon Fire in southeastern Utah continues to grow as crews work to contain it.
The fire has reached 96,564 acres and remains 0% contained. The U.S. Forest Service says 1,145 personnel are assigned to the fire.
San Juan County has issued SET evacuation warnings for several zones, including CY 1, CY 2, Peters Hill West, Airport 1, Energy and SJC 1. SET means residents should be prepared to leave if conditions worsen, but it is not an evacuation order.
Officials said the fire pushed farther northeast Sunday. Managers remain focused on securing the fire within wider indirect containment lines. Crews are also refining structure protection plans around Monticello.
Major closures remain in place across the Monticello Ranger District of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park and nearby BLM lands, including areas west of Harts Draw Road and north through the Indian Creek Corridor to Indian Creek Falls.
Residents and travelers should check official emergency updates and closure notices before making decisions.
Updated Sunday, July 5th at 11:30am: The Babylon Fire in southeastern Utah has grown to 90,445 acres and remains 0% contained.
Fire officials said 913 personnel are now assigned to the incident.
Crews are finding success by shifting to direct extinguishment tactics where possible on calmer parts of the fire, while maintaining larger protective boundaries around homes, ranches, infrastructure and other values at risk.
On the north side, where the fire has not moved for several days, firefighters were able to directly secure part of the fireline. Specialized wildland teams are using drones with infrared cameras to find and cool hidden hot spots along that section.
The fire remains active on the southwest and west sides. Officials said a new 15-acre spot fire started on Dry Mesa and continues to move past nearby roads. Crews are using strategic burnouts and airdropped retardant to hold that area.
Directly west of Monticello, structure protection crews have completed a horseshoe-shaped defensive line using local roads and fireline. Crews are also finalizing a major dozer line and reinforcing Elk Mountain Road to help protect the community.
Essential infrastructure, including the Cold Springs communication site, is now fully secured. Protective water equipment has also been staged at Dugout Ranch.
Weather remains a concern. Officials said another hot, dry day is expected, with humidity dropping to about 6%. Because broader winds are weak, fire movement is being shaped by local canyon terrain and slopes.
A shifting weather pattern is expected Monday and Tuesday. Officials said there could be a slight increase in moisture, but winds are expected to increase significantly, with Tuesday forecast to be the windiest day of the week. Isolated dry thunderstorms could also bring lightning and new fire starts.
Major emergency closures remain in place. All National Forest lands, roads and trails in the Monticello Ranger District of the Manti-La Sal National Forest are closed to the public. The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park is also fully closed.
The Bureau of Land Management has temporarily closed BLM-managed public lands west of Harts Draw Road and north through the Indian Creek Corridor to Indian Creek Falls. The closure includes Shay Mesa, Beef Basin, Dark Canyon and the Sweet Alice Wilderness Study Area.
Anyone not involved in firefighting operations should stay out of closure areas and avoid public lands within the boundary formed by State Route 211 to the north, U.S. Route 191 to the east and State Route 95 to the south.
Updated Saturday, July 4th 11am: The Babylon Fire in southeastern Utah is now mapped at 87,554 acres and remains 0% contained.
The U.S. Forest Service says 730 personnel are assigned to the fire.
Firefighters made progress Friday on suppression efforts around homes, ranch structures and historic sites. Crews are using direct attack where possible and indirect confinement strategies where terrain, fuels and fire behavior make direct work unsafe.
In the northwestern area, safety preparation around local trailheads and historical sites is complete. That is allowing resources to shift west into basin country to scout the fire’s edge.
To the north, crews confirmed that protective measures around ranch properties are finished, while firefighters continue clearing dry brush and vegetation along road systems. On the northeastern side, crews improved defensive lines and worked to protect vulnerable structures threatened by the fire.
In the southeast, officials say the fire is slowly creeping through continuous vegetation just over a mile from structures. Crews and fire engines are actively clearing defensive lines along road systems in that area.
Toward the southern heel of the fire, helicopters have been dropping water to cool hot spots and support ground operations. On Saturday, firefighters are expected to continue road preparation, use direct extinguishment where needed and push farther into the western perimeter while developing a strategy to safely contain areas where the fire edge has been nearly stationary for the past three days.
Weather remains a concern. Fire officials say Sunday is expected to be hotter and drier, likely marking the driest day of the week. Dry conditions and an unstable atmosphere could increase the potential for flare-ups and large smoke columns, especially in thick stands of pine and timber visible from Monticello and Blanding.
Looking ahead to early next week, dry thunderstorms could bring lightning and erratic winds with little to no relieving rainfall over the fire area.
Major closures remain in place. All National Forest System lands, roads and trails within the Monticello Ranger District of the Manti-La Sal National Forest are closed. The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park is also closed.
The Bureau of Land Management has also issued an emergency closure for BLM-administered public lands west of Harts Draw Road, extending north through the Indian Creek Corridor to Indian Creek Falls and including Shay Mesa, Beef Basin, Dark Canyon and the Sweet Alice Wilderness Study Area.
Non-operational personnel should avoid closed areas and public lands bounded by State Route 211 to the north, U.S. Route 191 to the east and State Route 95 to the south.
