Two lightning-sparked fires in the Manti-La Sal National Forest west of Blanding are growing slowly in a manner Forest Service officials expect will provide habitat benefits for more than a decade.

The Peavine Canyon Fire, burning west of Blanding, Utah, is now at 1,250, acres. The nearby Poison Canyon Fire, burning west of Monticello, Utah, is at 185 acres, Heather McLean, fire prevention technician with the Manti-La Sal National Forest, said in a news release issued Monday.

The lightning-caused Poison Canyon Fire was discovered on July 26 and is burning in needles under ponderosa pines. This fire is in an area previously planned for a prescribed burn. Drier, warmer conditions this week are expected to increase fire activity on both fires, McLean said.

“Low to moderate fire behavior in the Peavine Canyon Fire and the Poison Canyon Fire is beneficial in reaching management goals. The heavy snowfall last winter has contributed to fuels having much more moisture content than normal years, which lowers fire intensity,” McLean said.

The fire is consuming some ground fuels, returning nutrients to the soil and reducing the chance of a catastrophic fire in the future, she said.

Currently, 109 people are assigned to the Peavine Canyon Fire and 22 people are assigned to the Poison Canyon Fire burning in the Monticello District of the Manti-La Sal National Forest.

The Peavine Canyon Fire is 22 miles west of Blanding, Utah, and the Poison Canyon Fire is about 23 miles west of Monticello, Utah.

Closures for the Peavine Canyon Fire include:

Forest Road 50089 Peavine Corridor, closed at the trailhead junction with Forest Road 50088 South Elk Ridge.Forest Road 50108 Dry Mesa Road, closed at the junction with the 50340 including all spur roads to the north.Previous closures included Forest Trail 023 Brushy Knoll and Forest Trail 157 Peavine Canyon.

Maps and more information is available on the Manti-La Sal National Forest website.

parmijo@the-journal.com

Peavine and Poison fires (PDF)