Verdure Creek fire controlled at 157 acres

After fighting the wildfire for six days, crews fully suppressed the Verdure Creek Wildfire on October 18, with a final mapped fire area of approximately 157 acres.  
The fire was reported on Sunday, October 13, approximately six miles southwest of Monticello and a half mile north of the Blue Mountain Ranch Homes.
A full fire suppression effort focused on the flames, with tankers, helicopters, trucks and crews aggressively attacking the wildfire before it could grow.
Despite the close proximity of the fire to homes and buildings, the southern heel of the fire saw minimal activity due to favorable conditions and previous thinning efforts completed by Manti-La Sal National Forest crews.
Personnel flanked the East and West sides of the fire as it traveled North, and once again, due to previous prescribed burning efforts within the nearby Shingle Mill Fuels Reduction Project Area, fire crews held and constructed fire line for effective fire suppression.
Suppression efforts were aided by precipitation, cloud cover, high humidity, and cool weather patterns that have moderated fire activity. This enables crews to mop up and extinguish hot spots as the fire area cools. About 35 personnel remained on site to monitor and hold the fire in its current perimeter. 
For public and firefighter safety, the public is asked to avoid the impacted areas. There are currently no fire restrictions on the Manti-La Sal National Forest. As a reminder, the public is encouraged to practice fire safety measures while traveling and recreating outdoors, even as the weather cools down.