On July 7, a fire started in the region of Timber Mountain and Skutumpah, not far from the community of Deer Springs, and has since then burned over 10,000 acres of pinyon/juniper wildland, according to an interagency fire report released on the morning of July 9.
High winds continue to push the fire north and inhibit aerial response, with fire responders prioritizing keeping the flame away from Deer Springs and nearby threatened structures. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), who are taking point on fire response, posted an update early on July 9 on social media, stating, “Containment 0 percent; Size 11,800 Acres; north end of the fire looking better. Today’s operations include securing the line to the north and continuing fire line construction to the south.” The public is discouraged from any recreational activities near the Skutumpah or Nephi Pasture, and the roads are closed to any non-resident traffic, with Skutumpah’s parking lots dedicated to fire response.
No evacuation notices had been issued as of July 9, though officials were encouraging locals to subscribe to the Everbridge Emergency Notification Service as the means by which evacuation orders would be sent.
While the official statement indicates the cause of the Deer Springs Fire is still under investigation, the report does state it “appears to be human caused,” with some anecdotal statements from responders corroborating that belief.
This fire coincides with the similarly sized Silver King Fire near Marysvale, Utah, potentially dividing state resources. As of the media release by the BLM, the response to the Deer Springs fire included seven engines, three dozers, three air tankers, one water tender and more than 50 personnel.
