The Richard Mountain Fire, originally named the Richard Fire, has caused emergency closures along the Green River. The fire started in Wyoming around 2pm on Monday and quickly spread onto BLM lands in Utah. It is burning in sage brush, grass, and juniper. A BLM Type 3 Incident Management Team took command of the fire on Tuesday evening. Wildland firefighters from BLM Wyoming, BLM Utah, and Sweetwater County along with air resources have been working to keep the fire contained to the area west of Red Creek and south of Clay Basin Road but the fire eventually moved south of Browns Park Road in Utah. Crews on Wednesday were focused on protecting oil and gas infrastructure, other structures, sage grouse habitat, grazing allotments, and cultural resources in the area. On Wednesday, the BLM Vernal Field Office issued a temporary emergency closure for the “B” portion of the Green River from the Little Hole boat ramp to the Indian Crossing boat ramp. “Public safety is always the top priority during a wildfire,” shares Vernal Field Manager Roger Bankert. “I want to make sure the people we serve are safe while recreating on public lands while also allowing our fire crews the flexibility to quickly access these areas to protect the valuable resources that exist here. Once the Richard Mountain Fire is contained and the risk has passed, everyone here at the BLM Vernal Field Office looks forward to welcoming the public back to their public lands.” Emergency closure signs have been posted at the main entry points to the recreation area and trailheads. Maps of the affected area can be accessed on www.utahfireinfo.gov. As of the Wednesday evening report, the Richard Mountain Fire had reached 6,564 acres and remained zero percent contained.
