Babylon Fire at 95-percent containment after burning 107,000 acres

by David Boyle
News Director
Following weeks of aggressive fire behavior and a massive regional response, officials announced on Monday, July 20, that the Babylon Fire has reached 95% containment. The blaze, which consumed 107,189 acres, is now transitioning into a phase of meticulous suppression, repair and monitoring, though officials add that the milestone does not mean the fire is completely out.
The fire’s final footprint settled at over 107,000 acres, a figure that includes burnout operations conducted late last week to remove unburned fuels inside control lines and strengthen the perimeter. While the fire has claimed five structures since its inception on June 26, the current stabilization represents a major victory for the 604 personnel remaining in the incident.
The path to 95% containment was marked by a steady increase in control throughout the week. On Tuesday, July 14, the fire was reported at 50% containment as Great Basin Team 6 assumed command from Team 2.
Wednesday, July 15, marked a large change in the fire with containment up to 54-percent the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office removed all areas from the “Set” evacuation status to “Ready”.
While many households west of Highway 191 between Church Rock and the Dude Ranch were prepared to leave no official evacuation orders were ever given.
Wednesday also saw crews focusing on the meticulous process of "mopping up"—a laborious task requiring firefighters to physically check every square inch of land at least 150 feet inside the perimeter for heat signatures.
The progress continued through the weekend, jumping to 57% on Thursday and 62% on Friday.
Fire officials officially determined the cause of the fire to be lightning. Investigators made the determination following a detailed investigation showing mulitple lightning struck trees, a blow hole at the base of a strike tree and historic evidence of prior lightning-caused fires. No human activity, ignition devices, equipment, or other potential human-caused sources ere identified.
By Monday morning, the containment reached the 95% milestone, covering a total perimeter of 218.4 miles.
Weather played a pivotal role in shifting the tide of the battle. Early last week, storms dropped measurable precipitation directly over the fire area, with one storm south of Monticello producing a rainfall rate of 0.4 inches in just 15 minutes. While this moisture moderated fire behavior, it also introduced significant hazards.
Incident meteorologists and fire analysts described the monsoonal pattern as a "double-edged sword". While the rain dampened the parched fuels, it also triggered debris flows and flash floods in the burn scars, which have already washed out several roads and forced crews to retreat from the fire line for their own safety. Furthermore, the thunderstorms brought thousands of lightning strikes, requiring crews to remain vigilant for new fire starts, such as the small Adams Canyon fire which was quickly contained.
With the perimeter largely secured, the operational focus has moved from suppression to suppression repair. Crews are now working to return the landscape to a natural appearance by repairing dozer lines and hand lines, chipping woody material, and scattering limbs to prevent erosion.
Teams are utilizing drones equipped with infrared technology to pinpoint remaining "scattered heat" and isolated hotspots, particularly on the active eastern front near Shay Ridge. Firefighters are also performing specialized tasks, such as unwrapping a protected historic cowboy cabin and assisting local cattlemen in rounding up livestock near Gooseberry.
Public access to the region is gradually being restored. As of July 17, State Route 211 reopened to the Canyonlands National Park boundary, and several BLM lands north of the highway returned to public use. On Monday, District Ranger Orlando Cortez announced plans to reopen Hart Draw Road and several popular campgrounds, including Dalton Springs, Buckboard, and Foy Lake, though Stage 2 fire restrictions remain in effect across the Manti-La Sal National Forest.
During the final community meeting on Monday evening, Monticello Mayor Kevin Dunn praised the "miraculous" efforts of the firefighters, noting that vital local landmarks like the Horse Head and communication towers were saved. As the incident management team prepares to hand the fire back to local units, a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team is arriving to assess long-term rehabilitation needs.
"We can see the finish line," Mayor Dunn told residents, though officials cautioned that the "long haul" of recovery is just beginning.