Two Fires Burning In And Near Southern Utah Continue To Grow

Two fires contributing smoke to the skies above Cedar City and through out southern Utah continued to grow throughout the night.

The Thompson Ridge Fire has grown and now touches three counties in southern Utah. While the bulk of the fire continues burning in Beaver County, the boundary of the fire has also stretched in to small portions of both Piute and Garfield Counties.

Utah Fire Info is now reporting that the fire has consumed 1,100 acres and is being fueled by heavy dead and downed timber. Fire behavior is described as group torching with short range spotting.

The fire remains at zero percent containment. No structures are threatened at the current time. Two type 6 engines along with a water tinder, bulldozer and a type 3 helicopter along with the associated crews are on hand to work the fire.

Fire managers are focused on a confine and contain strategy using natural features
and tactics that will provide the greatest chance for suppression success. A type 3 incident
management team has been ordered.

The Kane Fire also had significant growth through the night. This lightning caused fire has grown to 3,247 acres and is also listed with zero percent containment.

The Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 4, led by Incident Commander Aaron Hulburd, assumed command of the Kane Fire at 6 a.m. this morning, Tuesday, August 8, 2023. The Type 2 Incident Management Team brings additional resources and management capabilities to implement a full suppression strategy for the Kane Fire.

As additional resources arrive, fire managers will develop strategies to fully contain the fire while protecting valuable resources in the area, including natural and cultural resources, and private property east of the fire. Firefighters are planning to install sprinkler systems around the historic structures at Kane Ranch to increase protections as southwest winds push the fire toward the east.

To compound difficulty in the suppression efforts, a Red Flag Warning has been issued over the Kane Fire area today, bringing increasing southwest winds and only a slight chance of rain. Any storm that does form could bring strong gusty outflow winds that could influence fire spread. These southwest winds will likely continue through much of tonight. Deeper moisture will arrive during the day on Wednesday with a better chance of precipitation. Deep moisture will remain over the area through at least Thursday.