BLM Utah, Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, and Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program work to put out coal hot spots

Staff at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah Green River District (GRD) Fire Management, the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program (AMRP) are working together to extinguish the Bear Fire in Carbon County, Utah, as these officials patrol for other hot spots. Diverse geology and extreme weather make fighting fires in Utah always challenging. With drought conditions priming the landscape, the Bear Fire ignited on June 8, 2021, and burned 12,174 acres. Given its proximity to historical coal mining operations within the burn area, the fire also ignited a coal refuse pile that continues to smolder today.

The BLM wants to remind the public that coal fires can create an unstable ground surface with temperatures reaching 700 degrees. Please use extreme caution, while enjoying and recreating on public lands.

For more information, please contact the Green River District Fire Management office at (435) 781-4444.