Fire managers monitor wildfire in part of Bryce Canyon National Park

Part of the Riggs Fire burning in the Dixie National Forest and Bryce Canyon National Park, Garfield County, Utah, September 2018 | Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service/National Park Service, St. George News

ST. GEORGE  Fire managers are keeping an eye on a lightning-sparked fire burning in a part of Bryce Canyon National Park and the Dixie National Forest.

An estimated 42 acres in size as of Wednesday morning, the fire is located about 15 miles south of Bryce Canyon City. Around 7.5 acres of the fire is within the national park with the remainder in the national forest, according to a joint press release from the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service.

The fire was discovered Aug. 25 and has been allowed to burn due to extremely limited access to safety zones for firefighters and aircraft not being readily available to assist firefighters.

The fire is also being allowed to burn for the ecological benefit of the area and is being managed by 15 personnel.


Read more: Cedar Highlands residents clear excess timber, slash around community for wildfire prevention


The fire has been described as a slow-moving surface burn through the ponderosa pine, mixed-brush surface litter and dead and downed fuels.

For now the fire poses little threat to valuable areas of Bryce Canyon National Park, according to the press release.

“The Riggs Fire strategy will be to minimize the impact to identified values and infrastructure while continually evaluating the risk to responders and the public against the probability of success,” Chet Hatch, Powell Ranger District fire management officer, said in the release.

No injuries have been reported.

Forest Trail 068 Grandview Trail Willis Creek to Lower Podunk has been temporarily closed for public safety.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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