Zion Fire Update 7-17-07

Date: July 17, 2007
Contact: David Eaker, 435-772-7811

A lightning storm that passed through the area Sunday evening, July 15, ignited several fires in the northeast portion of Zion National Park.  At this time, there are three confirmed fires that the park is managing as a complex.  All of the fires are in remote areas of the park with difficult access.  Due to safety concerns, the following trails and canyons have been temporarily closed.

Temporarily closed trails and canyons in Zion National Park        

• The West Rim Trail (from the Lava Point Trailhead to Scout Lookout)
• East Mesa Trail (from the east trailhead to the junction with Observation Point Trail)
• Orderville Canyon (including all side drainages)
• The Narrows above the junction with Orderville Canyon (The Narrows remains open from the Riverside Trail to Orderville Canyon)
• Mystery Canyon

The largest fire, Zion 3, is burning north of Orderville Canyon and, east of the Narrows.  It is now estimated at 500+ acres and burning in Ponderosa pine and mixed brush fuels.  A crew of eight BLM Smokejumpers jumped the fire earlier today and are working to establish an anchor point and a helispot for other firefighters to access the fire.  The fire is actively burning to the north and east.  There is no confinement on the fire at this time. 

The other two fires are the Zion 1 and 2.  Both of these are located on Horse Pasture Plateau, southeast of Lava Point, near the West Rim Trail.  Currently they are actively burning and are expected to grow together later today.  Estimated combined size is 50+ acres.  Crews were working the fire earlier today and due to safety concerns were removed when fire activity increased. 

Both aerial and firefighting resources are stretched thin throughout Color County due to all the fires in the local area and elsewhere in the Great Basin.