ST. GEORGE — Fire crews in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona have been busy this week battling several wildfires, wind and extreme heat.
The Graff Point, Little Twist, Deer Springs and Silver King fires have been active in Southern Utah, while the Quail Springs, Gulch and Grove fires continue to burn in Northern Arizona as winds send smoke north into St. George. Crews have been successful in increasing the containment percentage on all of these fires.
The following most current updates are based on information available from Utah Fire Info and Arizona Interagency Wildfire Prevention:
The Quail Springs Fire, located 14 miles south of St. George on the Arizona Strip, was reported on July 13 at 3:30 p.m. The fire is 1,635 acres. Resources on the lightning-caused fire include eight smokejumpers, four Type 6 engines, two Type 3 engines, six Type 2 crews and a Type 3 incident team. Containment is 15%.
The Gulch Fire, located 12 miles south/southwest of St. George on the Arizona Strip, was reported on July 13 at 4:14 p.m. The fire is burning 932 acres. Resources on the lightning-caused fire include two Type 6 engines and a Type 3 incident team. Containment is 75%.
Fire crews are also suppressing the lightning-caused Grove Fire on the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. The 27-acre fire was reported at 7:30 p.m. on July 14 and is located 65 miles south of St. George in the Mount Dellenbaugh area. Resources include one Type 6 engine. The Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument is jointly managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service. It is 80% contained.
The Graff Point Fire just south of Cedar City remains at 544 acres and is now 57% contained. In total, 383 personnel are assigned to the incident.
“Overall minimal fire behavior has been observed with smoldering and creeping in ground vegetation. Crews will continue to mop up the fire’s edge where needed and monitor for heat,” according to Utah Fire Info.
Firefighters “strengthened containment lines Wednesday along the northwestern flanks down to South Kanarra Mountain Road,” Utah Fire Info states.
A spot fire off the southwestern flank has been contained. An infrared flight picked up some heat south of the fire near Middleton Road, and firefighters have since put in a hose lay and wetted down the area. Chippers and masticators will continue to be used to reduce fuels west of the fire perimeter along South Kanarra Mountain Road and near the fire’s southern boundary.
The closure at the intersection of Tipple Road and Shurtz Canyon will be open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. for recreation access to Pyramid Ridge Campground.
The Little Twist Fire, which started as a prescribed burn on June 13 but was later classified as a wildfire, has burned 5,367 acres and is 75% contained.
The human-caused Deer Springs Fire near Kanab was discovered on July 7. It has burned 11,766 acres and is 85% contained.
The Silver King Fire three miles east of Marysvale in Fishlake National Forest has burned 18,074 acres. The increase in acreage was due to mapping updates. Containment has increased to 78%. Minimal to low fire behavior was expected Thursday as firefighters continued to mop up and secure lines. Small firing operations may occur to tie in and clean up indirect line. Fire officials scheduled a meeting for Thursday night to update the community.
Click the “Wildfire Wednesday” video below for the Utah Deparment of Natural Resources statewide update.
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