Beulah Fire nearly completed; areas reopen and crews begin transitioning out

The Beulah Fire, which has been burning for over a month, consumed over 5,000 acres. Photo: Utah Fire Info

SUMMIT COUNTY — The Beulah Fire is nearly contained, with fire management officially transitioning to a local Type 4 team.

As of the Sept. 11 update, which officials stated would be the last unless significant changes occur, the fire has burned 5,719 acres and is 96% contained. Fire officials credit the progress to the sustained efforts of firefighting crews over the past several weeks. The fire began on August 7 and spread rapidly through the wooded area, causing trail and campsite closures.

The U.S. Forest Service announced that the North Slope Road and some surrounding areas reopened at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 12. However, several trail closures remain in place for public safety. Hazards in the burned area include lingering heat sources, smoldering hotspots, fire-weakened trees that could topple, and loose rocks dislodged by the loss of vegetation.

The closed areas include:

• East Fork Bear River Trail (Forest Service Trail #4100)
• West Fork Blacks Fork Trail (Forest Service Trail #4101)
• Left-Hand Fork Trail (Forest Service Trail #4151)

Visitors should use caution as the area reopens. Fire officials advise reducing driving speeds on area roads, which may see increased traffic from both recreationists and crews.

Firefighters will continue patrolling the burned area until the fire is fully out, which likely won’t occur until a season-ending event such as heavy snowfall. Smoke may still be visible at times, especially in the remote wilderness where heavy dead timber and rugged terrain make full containment challenging.

Officials expressed appreciation for the coordinated efforts of firefighters, initial attack resources, local agencies, and incident management teams who have worked to contain the blaze.

For the latest closure information, visit the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest website.