Mill Flat Foofurb* Fire
Location: 4 to 5 miles SW of New Harmony, 10 miles W of Zion NP, Washington Co., UT
Specific Location: Mill Flat, Dixie NF, Lat 37° 26´ 18″ Lon 113° 23´ 33″
Date of Origin: 07/25/2009
Cause: Lightning
Situation as of 09/07/2009 7:00 am
Personnel: 75
Size: 12,607 acres
Percent contained: 100%
Costs to Date: $6,500,000
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Situation as of 09/04/2009 4:00 pm
Personnel: 688
Size: 12,607 acres
Percent contained: 62%
Costs to Date: $5,000,000
Use of hand crews and engines to mop up line on the N and SE flanks. Helicopters were used to limit fire spread in inaccessible areas. Ground resources continued line construction on the NW and SW flanks; crews will be spiked out. A US Forest Service BAER team is in place.
Flash Flooding Announcement:
New Harmony, Utah - Meteorologists have predicted the potential for flash floods in the area. Residents should be advised that The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Burnt Area Emergency Response Team (BAER), have made assessments and set priorities in order to minimize risk to problem areas and structures. This includes natural areas and infrastructures. Mitigation measures will include water diversion by building sand bag barriers around affected areas. These areas are in the Dam, Comanche, Strait and Main Canyon drainages.
Residents of the Ash Creek drainage including the area around New Harmony may pick up sand bags at the triangle south of the cemetery in New Harmony. Crews will fill and stock-pile sand bags until midnight today and may continue later if the situation requires.
Julie Woods with New Harmony Valley Fire District will be the Incident Commander in these flood preparation work efforts.
Emergency notification of residents will be through reverse 911. Residents may report any personal emergencies to 911 as well.
Individuals are reminded not to enter or attempt to cross areas that are flooding. Fast moving water is dangerous and even vehicles should not be used in crossing. Stay on high ground until the flooding abates.
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Situation as of 09/03/2009 4:00 pm
Personnel: 746
Size: 12,607 acres
Percent contained: 33%
Costs to Date: $4,100,000
Direct line construction will commence on the W, S, and SW flanks.
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Situation as of 09/02/2009 4:00 pm
Personnel: 765
Size: 12,564 acres
Percent contained: 33%
Costs to Date: $3,100,000
Use of hand crews, engines and air resources to limit spread on the N and SE flanks to protect structures and infrastructure. Helicopters were used to limit fire spread in inaccessible areas. Ground resources began line construction on NW flank, crews will be spiked out.
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Situation as of 09/01/2009 1:30 pm
Personnel: 754
Size: 11,180 acres
Percent contained: 10%
Costs to Date: $2,000,000
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Situation as of 08/31/2009 4:45 pm
Personnel: 647
Size: 10,382 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum fire area: 29,000 acres
Structures Destroyed: 3 residences , 8 outbuildings
Community of New Harmony, 150 homes threatened.
Costs to Date: not reported
Transistion to Muir’s IMT 1 at 0600 today. Use of hand crew, engine and air resources to limit spread on the N and SE flanks to protect structures and infrastructure. Fixed-wing air delivered retardant and helicopters were used to check fire spread in inaccessible areas. Initiated scouting and assessment on other flanks to prepare for future actions. Acres by owner- BLM 41ac., Private 440 ac., and USFS 9901 ac. Continued media attention by print and television at both the state and local levels.
This Let It Burn fire blew up and burned private homes far from the ignition point on the Dixie NF. This is the second Let It Burn fire on the Dixie NF this summer that blew up and caused serious damages and costs (see Bridge Fire [here]).To date neither Bevan Killpack, Pine Valley District Ranger nor Rob MacWhorter Forest Supervisor for the Dixie NF have been formally charged with criminal negligence.
*foofurb: euphemism for “fire used for resource benefit.” However, as is usual with foofurbs, no benefits have been elucidated, no EIS created, no public involvement or hearings held.
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Situation as of 08/22/2009 5:40 pm
Personnel: 1
Size: 550 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum fire area: 29,000 acres
NW edge group torching and rapid fire growth. Additional trail closures likely to occur in next 48 hours.
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Situation as of 08/20/2009 5:00 pm
Personnel: 1
Size: 479 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum fire area: 29,000 acres
More active surface fire, spreading to the east, burning interior pockets of fuel.
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Situation as of 08/18/2009 3:45 pm
Personnel: 1
Size: 121 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum fire area: 29,000 acres
The Summit Trail has been closed. Planning on putting people on the ground Friday via horseback.
