The Little Sahara Recreation Area will move to Phase II on Thursday, May 21, to align with Governor Gary R. Herbert’s Utah Leads Together 2.0 Plan Low Risk Phase and the Central Utah Public Health Department’s new public health order.
Click here to keep up to date on changes to facilities and services in Utah in response to Coronavirus (COVID-19).
The BLM Utah State Office is closed until further notice. We will post updates on our social media and website as they are available.
Utah Fire Information
Overview
The BLM Utah Fire and Aviation Program is a complex organization responsible for fire suppression, treatment of hazardous fuels, fire prevention and investigation, and fire rehabilitation on 15 million acres of public lands in Utah. On average, we respond to 550 wildfires that burn approximately 148,000 acres per year. Working in a variety of firefighting and support positions, we annually employ many seasonals and permanent personnel. There are 31 engines located throughout the state and two helicopters with firefighting crews. The Bonneville Hotshots, are based in Salt Lake City. We host one permanent air tanker base in Cedar City and several single engine air tanker bases during fire season.
Our community assistance program is active in providing local residents and visitors with fire prevention and education information, community fire planning, and investigating the causes of fires.
We are engaged with partners at multiple scales in reducing hazardous fuels and improving ecosystem health.
Major initiatives in Utah include:
- Reducing fire’s impact on sage-grouse
- Cooperative hazardous fuel reduction projects through the Watershed Restoration Initiative
- Implementing strategies toward resilient landscapes
We assist with training of local fire departments through the Local Cooperator Assistance Program. In addition to supporting the five wildland fire dispatch centers in the state, we host the Great Basin Coordination Center located in Salt Lake City. Interested in Applying for A Firefighting Position? Firefighting is an exciting career! Applications for summer seasonal work are accepted typically in November-January. Go to www.utahfireinfo.gov and www.firejobs.doi.gov for more information.
Aviation
Utah BLM maintains a fleet of two helicopters, two Air Attack platforms, and four Single Engine Airtankers (SEATs) during the fire season, with bases in Moab, Cedar City, Fillmore, Tooele and Salt Lake City. We support wildland fire and prescribed fire operations, animal census, wild horse and burro gathers, habitat management, range survey, cadastral survey, law enforcement, forest management, photo mapping, search and rescue, and other uses related to public land and resource management.
Dispatch
Utah currently hosts five interagency dispatch centers.
Richfield Interagency Fire Center (Richfield)
Moab Interagency Fire Center (Moab)
Uintah Basin Interagency Fire Center (Vernal)
Color Country Interagency Fire Center (Cedar City)
Northern Utah Interagency Fire Center (Draper)
The geographic area center is located in Salt Lake City.
Fuels
The West Desert Fuels Program is undertaking a goal of 8,287 acres treated through mastication and lop and scatter in Fiscal Year 2019. Additional acreage will be treated through seeding to meet a goal of approximately 23,500 acres treated.
Incident Business
Interagency Incident Business Management Handbook
The Fire/Incident Business Management program provides business guidelines, policies, and procedures that provide effective execution of the agency’s incident management program and support the agency’s mission. Guidelines, policies and procedures include:
- Uniform application of regulations on the use of human resources, including classification, payroll, commissary, injury compensation, and travel.
- Acquisition of necessary equipment and supplies from appropriate sources in accordance with applicable procurement regulations.
- Management and tracking of government property.
- Financial coordination with the jurisdictional agency and maintenance of finance, property, procurement, and personnel records and forms.
- Use and coordination of incident business management functions as they relate to sharing of resources among federal, state, and local agencies, including the military.
- Documentation and reporting of claims.
- Documentation of costs and cost management practices.
- Administrative processes for all-hazards incidents
Operations
The following are BLM initial attack resources located at various locations in Utah.
Canyon Country District
- Type 6 Engine - Monticello
- Type 6 Engine - Price
- Type 3 Engines - Moab (2)
- Water Tender - Moab
- Type 3 Helicopter - Moab
Color Country District
- Air Attack 690 Areocommander – Cedar City Regional Airport
- Type 6 Engines - Cedar City (2)
- Type 4 Engines - Cedar City (2)
- Type 2 Dozer D-6T Cat w/ Transport and Chase – Cedar City
- Type 2 Water Tender - Cedar City
- Type 4 Engine - St. George
- Type 6 Engines - St. George (2)
- Type 6 Engine - Kanab
- Type 3 Engine - Richfield
- Type 6 Engine - Richfield
Green River District
- Type 3 Engine - Vernal
- Type 6 Engines - Vernal (2)
West Desert District
- Type 1 IHC Bonneville – West Valley
- SEATS (Single Engine Airtanker) and SEAT Base – Tooele (2)
- Type 3 Helicopter w/ Crew - Tooele
- Air Attack 680w Areocommander - Salt Lake International (Tac-air)
- Type 6 Engine - Muskrat
- Type 4 Engines - Muskrat (2)
- 1 Super Heavy Type 3 Engine - Muskrat
- 1 Type 2 Water Tender - Muskrat
- 1 Type 2 Dozer D-6T Cat w/ Transport and Chase - Muskrat
- Type 6 Engines - Vernon (2)
- Type 4 Engines - Vernon (2)
- Type 2 Water Tender - Vernon
- Type 6 Engine - Little Sahara
- Type 4 Engines - Little Sahara (3)
- Superheavy T3 Engine - Little Sahara
- T2 Support Water Tender- Little Sahara
- T6 Engine - Fillmore
- T4 Engines – Fillmore (3)
Prevention/Mitigation/Education
Radios
The BLM Radio Team in Utah supports all Divisions within the State in providing a reliable Radio Communications infrastructure. The Radio team consists of a State Radio Program Manager, and four Telecommunications Specialists located throughout the state. The Radio Team is always researching new technology to enhance the radio system within the BLM in Utah.
Training
Interagency Engine Operators Workshop
Camp Williams
May 11-15, 2020
Trespass
The Utah BLM Fire Trespass program is responsible for wildland fire investigations on public lands to determine the specific cause, and to take action to recover costs and damages incurred by the BLM when the responsible party(s) is identified and legal liability or intent exists. Fire cause information is also used for statistical analysis to help develop effective prevention programs that reduce human-caused fires.