- Zach Johnson used a disc plow to create firebreaks against the Horse Head Fire.
- The fire, mapped at 530 acres, was 50% contained by Monday, Utah Fire Info said.
- Johnson emphasized the need for federal action to prevent fires, citing overgrown roads.
SALT LAKE CITY — Zach Johnson was busy working on his farm 15 miles outside of Monticello on Saturday when he heard there was smoke nearby, indicating a fire had started.
He was on the phone with his dad, Scott Johnson, as they both worked in separate sections of the wheat field.
"When we were on the phone, he said, 'Oh man, that ... I see smoke. That looks like it's a fire that's close,'" Zach Johnson recalled. "I said, 'Well, should I get a disc hooked up?' and he said, 'Yeah, that'd be a good idea."
Scott Johnson then called the nearby sheriff's office to report the fire, while Zach Johnson rushed to hook up his tractor to a disc plow.
A disc is a primary tillage implement that goes deep into the ground and disturbs the soil when a farmer pulls the machinery, according to Johnson. He said the equipment is a great option for building firebreaks because it removes all the organic matter on the soil surface and buries it in the soil.
The wheat field where Zach Johnson was working was threatened by a fire dubbed the Horse Head Fire.
Utah Fire Info on Monday the fire was mapped at 530 acres, with 50% containment.
While Johnson said creating a fire break using a disc plow is a common tactic, he knew the strategy from past experiences with fires.
"Well, Dad, we've fought a lot of fires over the years," Zach Johnson said. "And my dad's dad, and I'm sure his dad did, and it's just ... it's kind of been the go-to implement for that, especially when the soil's this dry."
In the process, any farmer who uses the tactic in an attempt to stop a fire loses some of what they grow. Zach Johnson said his wheat field was insured for instances like this, and so far, it looks like he'll be compensated for what he lost.
"It pretty much boils down to, you can either try to get a fire break and stop it from spreading and, you know, lose that little bit that you disc," Zach Johnson said. "Or you can let it burn and get the whole field and whatever else is on the other side of the field."
He said at the end of the day, he's not scared to go out and create firebreaks as a fire heads toward his field; he's just scared for the people working on the fires who are closer to the flames, breathing in the smoke.
"Dad was trying to keep an eye on (the fire). I was worried about him in the smoke and all the firefighters and everything," the younger Johnson said. "I think, you know, they're probably in more danger than I am in a tractor most of the time."
Johnson said he's used his farming machinery to create firebreaks four or five times before. Zach Johnson's wife, Lindsey Johnson, said she knew she was marrying a farmer back in 2016, but never expected him to be fighting fires.
"I remember him coming home and being like, 'There's a fire in the canyon, I've got to go disc the field,'" Lindsey Johnson remembered. "And I'm like, 'What are you talking about? And how's that related? Like, what is happening?'"
Now, she said she's used to hearing the news of her husband going off to disc a field in preparation for an incoming fire. The fire on Saturday was different for both Lindsey Johnson and her husband, though.
Lindsey Johnson said she was more scared because of the recent uptick in fires across the state and how quickly those fires have spread.
As she sent her photos of the Horse Head Fire, she got more nervous than usual because of the amount of flames and how large the fire looked compared to past fires her husband had fought.
You can either try to get a fire break and stop it from spreading ... or, you can let it burn and get the whole field and whatever else is on the other side of the field.
–Zach Johnson
And Zach Johnson said the way the fire spread was different compared to others.
"I've done this several times, but this one, with the wind we were having when it started, I've never seen one move like that," he said. "It was just unreal. It was so fast."
Stopping future fires
Zach Johnson said he feels like the farmers around him do what they do because most of them have a long family history full of farming, and they love the land and the area around their farms. His own family has deep roots in the area and in farming.
As a fourth-generation farmer working on the land his great-grandpa homesteaded in 1924, he began learning the ropes of farming at a young age. At 11 years old, Johnson started driving a tractor and would work on the farm in the spring, summer and early fall while in college.
In 2019, he began working on his wheat field full-time.
"My (great grandpa) had a bunch of sons, and they all farmed," Zach Johnson said. "As time has gone on, we farm a lot of the other brothers' ground, and some of it was, it'd be like my dad's uncle's ground, that his family inherited, and we still manage and farm."
Johnson said his farm is located along a tree line, which caught fire. Past those trees is a canyon. He said he was able to stop the fire from spreading past the trees and into his wheat field by discing. Firefighters took care of the rest, using planes carrying fire retardant and flying over Johnson's land to reach the fire.
Utah Fire Info credited Johnson in a post on X on Sunday.
"Credit and thanks goes to a local farmer who saw the smoke yesterday and immediately disced his wheat field to establish a boundary line," Utah Fire Info posted. "His quick action helped forward progression to halt in the area."
Although the fire is halfway contained, Zach Johnson said he's still worried because of the weather.
"We're really not out of the woods yet," he said. "It could get going again if the wind were to blow just right."
He added that he would like to see more done at the federal level to try to prevent fires from starting, and claimed there were roads in his area that had become overgrown with vegetation.
Zach Johnson said if those roads were kept clean, they could potentially act as a firebreak, and that if the federal government allowed more people who lived in those areas to help manage the land, it would be a good idea because of their personal knowledge of the area.
A Bureau of Land Management spokesperson responded to the farmer's concerns on behalf of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service.
"We are currently going through the NEPA analysis for 13,000 acres of fuels treatments such as mastication, lop and scatter, and cut/pile/burn throughout San Juan County," the statement sent to KSL said. "Once complete, the projects will start in 2027 and extend through 2030. We identify areas through fire probability modeling, imagery and actual boots on the ground visual verification to ensure we are stretching our financial resources as much as we can."
The BLM also said it appreciated Johnson's assistance with the Horse Head Fire.
"We sincerely appreciate the cooperation and support from those who assisted during recent incidents," the statement said. "Your willingness to help, communicate, and stay aware of resource needs is truly valued."
The BLM also reminded the public that they are responsible for their actions when deciding whether or not to respond to a wildfire.
"Wildland fire suppression should be conducted by trained and authorized fire personnel to ensure the safety of everyone involved and the effectiveness of the response," the agency said.
Officials also asked that people prioritize personal safety as wildfires continue to spread throughout Utah.
"We ask everyone to continue prioritizing personal safety and to coordinate closely whenever possible so that aerial and ground resources have clear awareness of all personnel in the area."
