Thompson Ridge Fire Burns Southeast of Beaver; Kane Fire Grows To 1,550 Acres

A lightning caused fire continues to burn in a mountainous area 11 miles southeast of Beaver. The Thompson Ridge Fire was first reported on Friday, August 4^th. Fire operations for the Thompson Ridge Fire are under the jurisdiction of the Fishlake National Forest.

The fire is currently listed as having burned 250 acres, and is described as smoldering and creeping with some group torching and spotting. No structures are threatened at this time, but one forest trail, Forest Trail 068 has been closed.

The fire is reported with zero percent containment at this time. It is being fueled by heavy and dead timber along with mixed conifer. Resources on site now include Type 6 Engine from the Tushar Mountain Wildland Fire Module along with a Type 3 helicopter with its crew.

Fire managers are evaluating potential control features and are developing objectives that line up with the values at risk. A Type 3 Incident Management Team has been requested to oversee fire fighting operations.

In the meantime, firefighters are responding to the lightning-caused Kane Fire on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. It is about 13 miles southeast of Jacob Lake, 11 miles south of US 89A, and 5 miles east of SR 67. The wildfire started Friday, Aug. 4 and immediate suppression actions were taken by air and ground resources.

The fire is in pinyon pine/juniper, grass, and sage. Concerns include long drive times to access the remote fire vicinity, cultural resources, wildlife, and private property east of the fire. Smoke is visible from across northern Arizona and southern Utah, including many areas south of the Grand Canyon. Smoke is generally spreading to the northeast.

Fire behavior was very active Saturday and with hot, dry, windy weather in the forecast, fire managers are expecting similar behavior over the next several days. Single Engine Air Tankers responded to assist in suppressing the fire from the air on Saturday, 8/5, but unsafe wind and smoke conditions limited operational use.

Approximately 80 personnel are assigned to the incident including two crews, five engines, a dozer, and two water tenders. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered for the incident. The Kane Fire has burned 1,550 acres.