MONTICELLO, Utah — In just 24 hours, crews battling the Babylon Fire have now contained 21 percent of the wildfire burning in southeastern Utah, which remains the largest fire in the U.S.
The jump in containment was due to "tactical and strategic firefighting operations," according to the U.S. Forest Service, which added that the fire is now at 101,073 acres.
One of the reasons for the containment jump was due to firefighters working the north end of the fire's perimeter. Crews utilized infrared technology to locate heat sources, enabling them to extinguish the sources of heat.
Thunderstorms and isolate showers on Tuesday also brought moisture to the flames, along with early morning shade, that helped moderate the fire's behavior.
"Firefighters continue work strengthening and securing control features designed to keep the fire within the broader indirect containment boundary," officials said. "Night operations began yesterday evening, providing round the clock resources to the most active part of the fire."
The cause of the fire, which has been burning since June 26, is still undetermined.
Due to the fire, the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park remains closed until further notice, and "all existing day-use backcountry permits, overnight backcountry permits, and campground reservations for The Needles have been canceled through July 31, 2026," the National Park Service said.
In addition, all Forest Service lands, roads and trails within the Monticello Ranger District of the Manti-La Sal National Forest are also closed.
The San Juan County Sheriff's Office has moved zones CY-1, CY-2, Peter's Hill-West, Airport, Energy and SJC-1 to SET evacuation status, meaning that people in those areas should prepare to evacuate.
The Bureau of Land Management has temporarily closed all BLM managed public lands west of Harts Draw Road and north through the Indian Creek Corridor to Indian Creek Falls. This closure includes areas such as Shay Mesa, Beef Basin, Dark Canyon, and the Sweet Alice Wilderness Study Area.
