Tabby Canyon and North Stansbury Fires Update 6/01/2020

Contact: Hannah Lenkowski, BLM West Desert District Public Affairs Specialist – 801-977-4315

Start Date: June 1, 2020

Location and Jurisdiction:  Stansbury Island in Tooele County, Bureau of Land Management and Private Lands (Unified Command with State of Utah and Tooele County)

Today, a new start occurred on private land at the north-end of Stansbury Island, called the North Stansbury Fire. The North Stansbury Fire was burned into the Tabby Canyon Fire.

Cause: Tabby Canyon Fire was human-caused due to an exploding target. The North Stansbury Fire is under investigation.

Fire Size: 13,378.1 acres (Type 4 Incident Command)

Percent Contained: 20%

Fire Behavior: Extreme fire behavior with wind and terrain-driven runs

Structures Threatened:  Tabby Canyon Fire resources responded to the North Stansbury Fire due to proximity, extreme fire behavior, and resources at risk. Fire crews burned out firelines and the two fires connected in the afternoon.

Fuels and Terrain:  The fire is burning through grass, sagebrush, and juniper on steep and rugged mountainous terrain.

Fire Crews/Resources: 145 fire personnel from Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, State of Utah, Tooele County, and Contractors: 6 engines, 4 hand crews, 2 helicopters, 2 ATGS aircrafts, 1 dozer, and 2 water tenders.

Evacuations: None

Closures: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) West Desert District issued a fire prevention order on May 31, 2020, restricting access to BLM-managed lands in the vicinity of the Tabby Canyon Fire in Tooele County, Utah. The prevention order restricts public entry, target shooting, camping, and unnecessary traffic in the land surrounding the Tabby Canyon Fire, including: north of Interstate 80 on Stansbury Island, and bounded by the Great Salt Lake to west, north and east; all in Tooele County, Utah.

For more information on fires in Utah, visit www.UtahFireInfo.gov

For more information on fires across the country, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov.