Yesterday afternoon, fire behavior intensified significantly under Red Flag conditions—high winds reaching 30–40 mph and low humidity near 10%—forcing a tactical pause as crews fell back to safer positions. On the western edge, the fire leapt north, prompting staff to reposition and triggering the decision to bring in a Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) as the blaze expanded to 9,575 acres .
On the eastern and southeastern perimeter, crews successfully held the line west of East Fork Road (FS‑087), north of Blubber Creek, and Spring Branch Canyon. No further advance occurred in these areas, and the Bryce Woodlands community remains secure. Helicopters and fixed‑wing aircraft conducted 15 hours of flight time before shutting down after 4 PM; fixed‑wing aircraft dropped a total of 23,000 gallons of retardant kutv.com+2sltrib.com+2fox13now.com+2.
Today, fire managers are developing a new strategic plan following movement into remote, inaccessible terrain. Crews are identifying additional holding features—such as roads, meadows, or defensible breaks—and prioritizing containment of the eastern and southern flanks.
Reinforcements have arrived, bringing total personnel to 526, including 14 handcrews, 2 bulldozers, and 12 engines sourced from multiple Western states. Air support continues with helicopters and air tankers assisting suppression efforts kutv.com+1kutv.com+1sltrib.com.
Weather:
Red Flag warnings remain in effect, with sustained southwest winds of 20 mph and gusts up to 40 mph, humidity around 10%, and high temperatures between 75–80 °F.
Closure:
All National Forest System lands south of Utah State Route 12 on the Powell Ranger District remain closed—excluding designated trails and campgrounds in Red Canyon—and the East Fork Road (FS‑087) remains closed.
For updates, visit the Dixie National Forest alerts page or the France Canyon InciWeb incident page.
