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Agency briefs Emery County council on Black Canyon Fire: 'We're estimating about 1,100 acres now'
Summary
Fire officers told the Emery County Public Lands Council the lightning-started Black Canyon Fire has grown to about 1,100 acres, with roughly 170 personnel working to protect homes near Reader subdivision and Lowry Water using aircraft, retardant and contingency lines.
Darren briefed the Emery County Public Lands Council on local fire operations after a lightning strike ignited the Black Canyon Fire.
Darren said crews called additional resources as winds pushed the fire up the canyon, and that aircraft and retardant lines were used to hold the blaze away from Reeder Ridge and nearby structures. "We're estimating about 1,100 acres now," he said, and added: "We've got about a 170 people out there" supporting suppression and structure protection near the Reader subdivision and Lowry Water.
Council members pressed for detail about access limits in the rugged canyon and about how historic timber sales affect firefighting. Darren said limited roads and steep terrain require aircraft and contingency dozer lines; spotting in timber remains the main risk. He described the incident as a Type 3 organization now, with regional resource requests complicated by high demand in other western states.
The council and staff discussed timber contract timing and options to reduce fuels, including stewardship contracts and reduced sale prices to encourage logging for fuel removal. Officials said long-term containment will depend on weather and available national resources; no decision was taken beyond continued incident management and community protections.
