Updated Tuesday, July 23, 11:21 a.m.
The Silver King Fire has now reached 18,189 acres at 83% containment.
Lightning started the fire July 5, near the Silver King mine outside Marysvale. During a hot and dry summer week, the extreme weather conditions hampered firefighting efforts, putting the fire at just 2% containment the next Friday.
The following week was much better. The fire received a small amount of rain, and fire activity was moderate.
Firefighters were also able to make it into Miners park to find two structures and the historic Bully Boy Mill burned. The other eight historical spots along the Bullion Canyon tour have survived the fire.
Wednesday the fire was at 20% containment. By Thursday morning, July 18, firefighters had accomplished a huge jump in containment on the Silver King Fire.
“The fruits of the hard work by firefighters were reaped today with the large increase in containment. The northwest portion of the fire is contained eastward to the top of Deer Creek,” Central Utah Interagency Fire wrote in a release that day. Almost the whole east side of the fire is contained by Marysvale, putting containment at 78%.
The high containment meant no more night shifts, and the beginning of safely downsizing the operation. On Thursday, there were 606 personnel working on the fire. By Tuesday, the fire was 83% contained with 252 personnel.
Firefighters also began doing suppression repair, in which they repair any damages or ground disturbances fire suppression may have caused. To do this, crews will usually go along the fire and dozer lines replanting native seed to help minimize erosion and growth of invasive species. They will also return roads and trails as best they can to pre-fire conditions.
The National Weather Service’s report for the next week includes more thunderstorms and temperature highs in upper 70s and low 80s. Tuesday will be warmer and drier than the last couple of days. There is a good chance of rain on Wednesday and especially Thursday.
Marysvale is currently facing a flooding risk related to the fire. Our local journalist, Ari, will be writing about the town’s flood preparation.
– by Abbie Call, The Byway
Feature image caption: A dozer on the night shift at the Silver King Fire on July 15. Courtesy of Fishlake National Forest.
Abbie Call – Cannonville/Kirksville, Missouri
Abbie Call is a journalist and editor at The Byway. She graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in editing and publishing from Brigham Young University. Her favorite topics to write about include anything local, Utah’s megadrought, and mental health and meaning in life. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hanging out with family, quilting and hiking.
Find Abbie on Threads @abbieb.call or contact her at [email protected].