KANAB — Critical areas affected by closures due to the Deer Springs Fire are now officially open, allowing visitors to resume normal travel activities through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
According to a news release from Utah Interagency Fire, the fire is now 100% contained. Reopened roads/areas include Skutumpah Road, between Johnson Canyon and Lick Wash, Timber Mountain Road, Nephi Pasture Road and Nephi Pasture and Crocodile parking lots.
Initially reported on July 7, the wildfire caused much concern among residents as it burned nearly 9,000 acres of pinyon-juniper woodland within 24 hours. A local Color Country Interagency Incident Management Type-3 Team responded and took command of the incident on July 8, the news release said.
“Thanks to the team’s quick action and the tireless efforts of more than 200 firefighters, first responders, aviators and overhead personnel across multiple cooperating agencies, the team gained control of the incident and reached 70% containment within seven days,” the fire agency noted in the news release. “On July 16, 2024, incident command was handed to a local type-4 crew. Since then, that crew has continued working toward full containment, officially designating it as such late [Tuesday].”
Residents and visitors are encouraged click here to stay informed about upcoming fire recovery activities or to access the Bureau of Land Management’s social media pages.