On August 22, 2023, the Great Basin Incident Management Team 5 turned over command of the Thompson Ridge Fire to Fishlake National Forest. At the time, the fire was 7,253 acres and 85% contained. Assuming there are no significant changes, Utah Interagency Fire stated that this would be the last update on the Thompson Ridge Fire.
The lightning-caused fire that started outside Beaver on August 4 at first threatened only quite a remote area in Fishlake National Forest. It raised more concern when wind pushed it to skirt the borders of Piute and Garfield counties, getting much closer to the town of Circleville.
Since the fire began, the hard work of firefighters and the help of scattered thunderstorms and increased moisture brought the fire closer to containment within a couple of weeks.
Though Interagency Fire’s last update stated the Thompson Ridge fire is mostly contained, ongoing assessment and repair must be done before the area can be fully reopened. A Burned Area Emergency Response team (BAER) has already entered the area and begun to work on the fire, with tactics such as reseeding and improving drainage. A BAER can be required when fires leave behind more problems, like increased risk of flooding, endangered species, or contamination to community water supplies.
“The public is advised to remain cautious when recreating in fire-impacted areas,” wrote Utah Fire Info in a Facebook post. “There continue to be many hazards in the burned area.”
Some closures remain in effect including many roads and trails in the area: portions of NFS Roads 1011, 575, and all of NFS Road 587, as well as portions of NFS Trails 066, and all of NFS Trails 165, 241, 243, 244, 247, 285, and 287. Check the Fishlake National Forest Incident Information page for more on closures.
– The Byway
Feature image courtesy Utah Fire Info/Facebook.