Babylon fire grows to 106,610 acres, threatens Monticello with evacuations

The Babylon Fire had burned 106,610 acres and was 54% contained by July 13, putting Monticello, Utah, under days of tension as evacuation planning shifted from precaution to routine. The blaze, which started June 26 about 25 miles southwest of town, was the largest active wildfire in the United States at that point.

Officials tied the fire’s rapid spread to low humidity, extremely dry vegetation and gusty winds, then added lightning, drought, critically dry fuels, steep terrain and repeated Red Flag conditions as the fire moved through the Abajo Mountains. San Juan County placed six evacuation zones west of Monticello into a 'set' status, meaning residents should be ready to leave if conditions worsen. The city itself was not included in that advisory, but local officials kept urging people to follow official updates closely.

The fire also triggered broad closures across public lands. The Manti-La Sal National Forest issued a closure order effective June 28 through August 31 unless rescinded, shutting Forest Service lands, roads and trails within the Dark Canyon Wilderness and portions of Bears Ears National Monument on the Monticello Ranger District. A separate closure for the Monticello Ranger District took effect June 30 at noon and was scheduled to run through August 31 at 12:01 a.m. The Forest Service and Monticello city officials have been posting daily updates through official channels, including the city website and Facebook page, while county evacuation-zone maps and Bureau of Land Management closure orders have been used to track the fire’s spread.

The emergency has also become a daily civic ritual. Dozens of Monticello residents have been gathering in the evenings on the west edge of town to thank and support firefighters as they return from the line, a small but steady display of solidarity as crews keep working the perimeter. A wildfire-tracking estimate placed suppression costs at $33.3 million, a reminder of how quickly a fire that began in late June can strain public resources for weeks.

For Monticello, the Babylon Fire has turned fire season into a standing condition rather than a short-term scare. Residents have stayed ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice while officials balance road closures, public-land restrictions and the uncertainty that comes when dry fuels, wind and steep terrain keep overruling containment progress.