Utah Rx Declared a Wildfire. Rips 5,200 acres. Great Basin Moves to PL2.
Utah, California, and Colorado Rx burns all seeing increased activity and ignitions ceased.
Prescribed fire is a necessity, but as we approach the first day of Summer, some of the ongoing burns around the nation have seen significant increased activity. An incredible amount of prescribed fire has been conducted so far this Spring, but with near-record temperatures hitting the Great Basin area, dry conditions in Colorado, and heat in California, some of these Rx fires have started to reassess… and blow out.
First, in Utah, The South Beaver Rx has been declared a wildfire.
Last night, The Fishlake National Forest issued a statement about the Rx, saying activity on the burn had increased substantially.
South Beaver Rx update 06/12/2024
There is increased fire activity in the Senseball Lake area of the South Beaver Rx, with the movement still within the designated burn unit. Fire personnel will closely monitor conditions and the burn's status, with an updated report expected to be posted tomorrow providing further information.
Since that announcement, Fishlake National Forest has declared it a wildfire, now known as the Little Twist Fire, and mapped it at 5,254 acres. The current temperatures over the wildfire are 87 degrees, with wind gusts up to 24 MPH and single-digit RH at 8%—prime wildfire conditions.
Fishlake NF has been absolutely crushing it with Rx fires this spring, but this one got away.
Update:
BEAVER, UT, June 13*, 2024 - Due to increased fire activity and movement outside the area to be burned this Spring, and in an abundance of caution to ensure that goals can still be reached safely, the South Beaver Rx has transitioned to a wildfire, now named Little Twist. This transition will allow the agency to make use of additional resources including those of our cooperating agencies. Additional resources have been ordered and are arriving on the incident. Firefighter safety continues to be our top priority as well as working to achieve burn objectives.
For your safety, please avoid accessing Forest Road # 137 (Kents Lake Road), including Kents Lake, Anderson Meadow and Lebaron Campgrounds, as well as the South Creek area. The Forest Service will notify the public when allowed to re-enter the area.
I’m sure a very large resource order will go in, and a Team will be called to manage the incident. Talking to locals, another Rx in Utah was putting up significant smoke today, but there is no official word on that one yet. There were three active Rx burns happening in this area.
This afternoon the Great Basin GACC moved into a Preparedness Level 2.
In California, they had to dig line around and put out the Thomas Mt. Rx after activity increased, smoke and heat made the prescribed fire lose prescription. Crews came in to construct fireline around the fire, and the San Bernadino National Forest announced that firefighters came in and “stopped” the Rx, and all hot spots were extinguished.
Out in Colorado, The Monument FC Rx paused ignitions due to plummeting dead fuel moisture and dropping RH values.
That burn is still in the box, meeting objectives, and actually looks pretty good, but it got a little spicy for a bit.
It’s fire season now, and the last remaining burns around the Nation are seeing the results of it. I’ve been saying it for months, The Great Basin looks like it’s going to be really busy.
And with the former Rx now Little Twist Fire in Utah that ripped over 5,200 acres… a lot of resources are about to get called in.
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It’s meant to be think. My Forest Service reported the goddam facts, good or bad. These assholios report whatever feels god.
This has got to be a lie. 99 percent of FS Rx fires go perfectly. Ask the Chief. WTF?? Nobody saw any of this coming? Demand FLAs on every escape.