SAN JUAN COUNTY, Utah, July 18, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — The Babylon Fire is holding steady at 107,173 acres, and is now 82% contained.
The fire, sparked by lightning on June 26, is located 25 southwest of Monticello, and has burned five structures.
Total personnel assigned number 907, with 26 crews. Resources assigned include 15 helicopters, 29 engines a dozer and 17 water tenders.
“Containment on the Babylon Fire increased from 62% to 82% yesterday, with new progress achieved along the west and northeast perimeters,” says a Saturday update from U.S. Forest Service-Manti-La Sal National Forest.
“Crews continue constructing fireline, along with mop-up, actively patrolling, and suppression repair, focusing on the eastern edge of the fire and recently completed burnout areas. Road repair also continues on the south and east sides of the fire.
“To date, crews have constructed more than 25 miles of fireline around the fire’s 219-mile perimeter, including approximately 12 miles of dozer line built with heavy equipment and 15 miles of handline constructed by firefighters using hand tools.”
Firefighters continue to work around hazardous conditions, including fire-weakened trees and snags that can fall without warning, the update says. Despite recent rainfall, drought conditions, heavy fuel loading, and critically low fuel moisture continue to support rapid fire spread when winds increase.
“Firefighter safety remains the highest priority.”
Babylon Fire. Photo: Utah Fire Info
Weather and fire behavior
Another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected today. Lightning, winds, and heavy rainfall may create hazardous conditions for firefighters while increasing the risk of flash flooding and debris flows in burned areas.
Although nearby Blanding received 1.3 inches of rain yesterday, the Babylon Fire received only about 0.2 to 0.5 inches. Despite the lighter rainfall, thunderstorms remained active over the fire area, and firefighters quickly contained a new lightning-caused fire after a single tree was struck northeast of the Babylon Fire, preventing further spread.
Land management agencies along with local officials are working closely together to continuously evaluate evacuation orders and area closures, reopening affected areas as soon as safety conditions allow. The Needles district in Canyonlands National Park has reopened.
The public should continue to check for the latest information on evacuations:
- San Juan County: https://sanjuancountyut.gov/
- Manti-La Sal National Forest closures: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/manti-lasal/alerts
- Bureau of Land Management – Utah closures: https://www.blm.gov/utah
- Utah Fire Restrictions: https://utah-fire-info-utahdnr.hub.arcgis.com/…/active…
