Horse Fire Update 7-27-09
Incident: Horse Fire Wildfire
Released: 7/27/2009
Horse Fire Update
7-27-09 10 am
This will be the last daily fire update on the Horse Fire. Future updates will be sent out as needed or when any significant events on the fire occur.
The lightning caused Horse Fire continues to burn in Zion National Park. The fire was first detected on July 7 and is located approximately 1 1/2 miles southeast of Lava Point in the northern part of the park. It is now estimated at 2,110 acres and remains at 50% contained. Recent fire behavior has been moderate.
Firefighters have been monitoring the fire over the last few days with no direct management actions taken. Recent burnout operations along the east side of the West Rim Trail have created a solid buffer zone that has greatly reduced the threat from the fire crossing the trail and moving into the western portion of Horse Pasture Plateau. Most of the activity is on the eastern portion of the fire on a mesa between Goose Creek and Corral Hollow. The majority of the acres burned to date is inactive or out. The northern portion of the fire is showing no activity. The fire is now being managed by the Yellowstone Fire Use Module, a seven person fire crew that specializes in managing resource benefit fires.
The fire is burning in a fire adapted ecosystem and is achieving the resource benefits it is being managed for. Most of the area has shown a light understory burn, with little torching of larger trees. This will reduce the amount of dead and downed fuel and provide an opportunity for the regeneration of native plants. The reduction of fuels will also lower the risks to adjacent private lands from future wildfires.
For visitor safety, the West Rim Trail is closed from Lava Point to the junction with the Telephone Canyon Trail (near campsite #6). Imlay Canyon is also closed. The West Rim Trail from the Grotto to the Telephone Canyon remains open, as does the Angels Landing Trail and the Wildcat Canyon Trail.
For more information contact David Eaker 435-772-7811 or david eaker@nps.gov. You can also visit the parks website at www.nps.gov/zion/naturescience/fire-management-homepage.htm or the National Park Service Fire Website at www.nps.gov/fire/public/pub firenews.cfm.
