Wildfires in Zion National Park

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 Zion National Park.  At this time, five fires have been confirmed in the park and other smokes reported, but unconfirmed.  Two other small fires in the park were controlled today.  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 majority of the fires are located in the area of Horse Pasture Plateau (southeast of Lava Point) and near the Orderville Canyon area.  The largest of the fires is estimated at 200+ acres.  The others are estimated to be in the range of 2-3 acres.  They are being managed as a complex.

Aerial resources and a small crew of firefighters worked the fires today, but due to their remote location and difficulty of access little progress was made.  In addition, the aerial resources were called away in the late afternoon to assist with higher priority fires in the St. George area.   Resources are stretched thin throughout the Color County Fire management Area due to all the fires.  Available firefighters and aerial resources will work the fires again tomorrow.