- Lake Powell boaters are advised to limit or avoid specific areas of the lake being used by firefighting aircraft.
- Several fires are burning near Lake Powell at the moment.
- Storms and red flag conditions are in Utah's forecast Monday, which elevate the state's fire risks.
PAGE, Ariz. — Lake Powell boaters are being advised to reduce trips between Dangling Rope and Rainbow Bridge, or avoid that part of the reservoir altogether, because firefighters are using that section in their operations for several nearby wildfires.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area officials posted the notice on Friday, informing boaters that fixed-wing Super Scoopers — amphibious aircraft that scoop up water and dump it on fires — pick up water between buoys 43 and 49 "until further notice." Boaters are required to monitor marine radio channel 16, as there is also a temporary flight restriction in the area, park officials added.
The directive will remain in place until further notice, which means it may continue through the Pioneer Day holiday weekend.
A few active fires are burning in Utah, Arizona and Colorado that will require pulling water from the reservoir. These include:
- The Deer Creek Fire, which originated near La Sal, San Juan County, on July 10, has now burned 17,123 acres spanning the border of Utah and Colorado. Nearly 580 personnel are assigned to the fire, which is now 30% contained.
- The White Sage Fire burning north of Grand Canyon National Park has now burned 58,842 acres since July 9. Over 630 personnel are assigned to battle the fire, which is now 33% contained.
- The Dragon Bravo Fire burning within the North Rim of the Grand Canyon remains just 8% contained. Over 850 personnel are assigned to fight the fire, which has now burned 12,728 acres of land since it started on July 4.
- The South Rim Fire has now burned 4,220 acres within Black Canyon, a section of Gunnison National Park in southwest Colorado, since July 10. Over 500 personnel are assigned to battle the fire, which remains just 31% contained. The park remains closed because of the fire, and park officials said last week it won't reopen until the fire is fully contained.
Crews make ground on other Utah fires, but red flag conditions return
Cooler and wetter conditions across central and southern Utah last week proved to be beneficial for firefighting operations. The 15,662-acre Forsyth Fire burning near Pine Valley, Washington County, is now 95% contained.
"There has been no growth of the fire over the past 24 hours and fire activity has been limited to smoldering," Color Country Type 3 Incident Management Team officials wrote in an update Monday morning.
The Monroe Canyon Fire in Sevier County grew to 9,544 acres over the weekend, but firefighters were able to make some initial containment. The fire is now 3% contained, and over 800 personnel are assigned to the fire this week. A community meeting about firefighting operations is planned for 7 p.m. on Monday, July 21, at the Sevier Valley Center, 800 W. 200 South in Richfield.
Some additional monsoon moisture is lingering across both regions. A weak cold front is forecast to move across Utah on Monday, which will pick up more isolated showers later in the day, KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson said. However, some of the storms could bring more wind than rain, especially across northern Utah.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the Wasatch Front, Tooele Valley and northwest Utah, including the West Desert. Wind gusts up to 30 mph, along with warmth and low relative humidity, are mixing to create "critical fire weather conditions," the agency reports. Lightning from storms could spark new fires across the state, Johnson adds.
Hotter and drier conditions are currently forecast for later into the week, including on Pioneer Day.
