Published Thursday, July 4, 2024, 1340 hours PT

The LITTLE TWIST FIRE is burning four (4) miles southeast of Beaver, Utah, and is under the management of the U.S. Forest Service – Fishlake National Forest.

This is in steep rugged terrain in a remote location.

(L) Photo Credit: UT Fire Info

There are a total of 283 personnel along with six (6) crews, two (2) engines, and five (5) copters.

About 4,015 acres of timber and heavy slash have been burned. There is a 35% containment status as of this update.

Photo Credit: UT Fire Info

Active fire behavior has been observed along with short crown runs, group torching, and uphill runs.

According to UT Fire Info: “Yesterday’s hot temperatures combined with northwesterly winds brought increased fire activity in the Middle Fork and South Fork areas of South Creek.

A Bonneville Hotshot Daniel Burns was struck by a falling tree on June 23, 2024, and was severely injured while fighting this wildfire in Fishlake National Forest outside of Beaver, Utah. There is a GoFundMe.com page set for him is at https://www.gofundme.com/f/hotshot-daniel-burns-recovery-from-line-of-duty-injury?lang=en_US&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=twitter

Burns, a US Marine Corp Veteran and first-year Bonneville Hotshot, was helping suppress a spot fire in Division Whiskey when a standing dead tree, called a “snag” destabilized and fell over, striking Burns in the head and shoulders, pinning him to the ground. 

He miraculously survived being hit and crushed by a 70-foot, 16” diameter tree, but suffered fractures of bones in the shoulder and face, requiring a helicopter LifeFlight to St George for numerous surgeries. While the Bonneville Interagency Hotshot Crew feels blessed that Burns survived, we remain deeply concerned about his road to recovery and ability to provide for himself while missing the rest of the 2024 Fire Season.

The funds raised will help financially support him and make up for the lost wages, medical and recovery-related bills, as well as, living expenses as he fights to return to full strength.- GoFundMe page.

“To those who’ve donated, Bonneville IHC would like to wish a heartfelt thank you. To see the amount of people who recognize the need and show a desire to care for an injured hotshot gives us a deep sense of gratitude and pride to belong to this community. Yesterday we were able to get Dan discharged from the hospital and bring him back to Salt Lake.

While he has a long road to recovery, getting him out of the hospital felt like a huge victory for all of Dan’s friends and family. Eric Evans, the Superintendent of Bonneville IHC, has shown what’s required of leadership in times like this- coordinating the response and hospital care and transport, and hosting Dan in his own home while he recovers to the point of being able to feed and care for himself.

The crew is deeply grateful to all for helping us ensure Dan gets the support he needs in the coming year.

Thanks again for your generous donation.”- via Go Fund Me page, Bonneville IHC Evan Hill, Organizer

The UT Fire Info site continues, “The visible activity was produced by the consumption of heavy concentrations of dead and down fuel loadings, which produced high volumes of smoke.

Interior pockets of heat will continue to burn, cleaning up the interior edges while helping to minimize potential future impacts, both in smoke quantity and fire spread. Ignitions may continue over the next several days if weather conditions allow.

This may cause higher levels of smoke to be visible from surrounding areas including I-15, I-70, Hwy-89, and Hwy-20.”

Area, road, and trail closures are in effect.

The cost-to-date for fire suppression and containment efforts has reached $7.9 Million.

(c) 2024 NW Fire Blog