Babylon Fire at 85,000 acres, additional resources arriving

The Babylon Fire is at 85,370 acres as of the last official report on July 3 at 8:00 am.
11 crews made up of 524 personnel are battling the flames including seven helicopters, 17 engines, two dozers and five water tenders.
Over 200 members of the public attended meetings held on Thursday July 2 at USU Blanding with a satellite broadcast held in Monticello and many more watching the video online. The full broadcast can be found here.
At the meeting meteorologists, fire behavior analysts, operation chiefs and other administers addressed the public on efforts to battle the fire which has been difficult to battle when accounting for the difficulty to access the terrain where the fire is burning multiplied by the weather patterns and the dryness of fuels after a near non-existent winter.
Officials confirmed priorities start with protecting life of both firefighters and the public but efforts are underway to protect values at risk. Structure protection and fuels mitigation was completed yesterday for multiple locations including Kirk Cabin, Dugout Ranch, and Bayles Ranch. Officials report the Needles district of Canyonlands has completed 90-percent of structure preparation.
Firefighters also have accessed vital communication infrastructure on the top of Abajo Mountain with preparation and fuel mitigation work anticipated to be wrapped up later today.
Four structures have been lost over the course of the fire including the Scorup, Poco and King Edwards Mine historic cabins as well as the Nature Conservancy Ranch cabin.
No evacuations have been issued in San Juan County although Sheriff Lehi Lacy and San Juan County Emergency Management Director Tammy Gallegos shared how residents should prepare for that possibility. Fire evacuation orders follow Ready, Set and Go statuses. Gallegos shared that residents should always be in a ‘Ready’ status. That includes having a communication plan for your household, having vital documents, medicines and pet supplies as well as keeping your vehicles fueled. The sheriff’s office is working to publish a map of zones for Monticello, Blanding and the surrounding areas to help residents identify their zone and follow any future evacuation orders.
Beyond ‘Ready’ status residents would then move into a ‘Set’ status meaning they are ready to go on a short notice but can remain in their homes. With a final ‘Go’ order requiring evacuation of residents. Officials emphasized those orders will come through official communication channels and residents should look for those communications with local law enforcement having tools to contact residents for that possibility.
Additionally the US Forest Service Manti-La Sal Monticello Ranger District and Needles District of Canyonlands have been closed to the public. The Bureau of Land Management has also closed managed lands west of Harts Draw Road, extending north through the Indian Creek Corridor. The public is advised to avoid public lands south of highway 211, west of highway 191 and north of highway 95.
The forecast for Friday July 3 includes an expected increase in fire activity and shifting smoke patterns due to a combination of high heat, low humidity and steady winds. Officials report as well that conditions will drive the flame front toward natural barriers and established containment lines.
With the Independence Day weekend beginning, fire officials issued a plea for the public to exercise extreme caution. Personal fireworks are banned across Southeast Utah and Southwest Colorado due to the high risk. "We are not staffed to handle additional fires," Fire PIO Chip Favor warned, noting that any new start would divert critical resources from the Babylon blaze.
Resources for the Public For daily updates, residents can contact the official fire information line at 435-677-1958 or email 2026.babylonfireinfo@firenet.gov. Additional information is available via the InciWeb (NCIW) system.