The Trail Mountain fire was listed as 100 percent contained on Aug. 12. Since that time the Cottonwood Canyon road has been closed due to rehabilitation work on the fire scar area.
When a fire is called controlled, mop-up near the lines is complete and the line is expected to hold.
Rehabilitation efforts continue on the fire scar as Forest Service and other officials work to prevent flooding and debris flows.
Currently about 15-20 trucks a day are delivering wood mulch to the East Mountain area along Cottonwood Road. The road has been closed in the interest of public safety as trucks unload tons of mulch and it is reloaded into smaller short-haul vehicles for delivery to Flat Canyon staging areas. Graders and water trucks are working to maintain the road, which is being impacted by heavy traffic. Helicopters will be assisting in the operation.
The footer has been completed for a defensive wall around the Crandall Canyon Memorial to prevent damage from flooding and debris flows. Castle Valley Water Conservation District and the North Emery Water Users Association is working to make repairs to their infrastructure damaged by the fire.
A closure remains in place for 0040 Cottonwood Canyon Road, and Forest Roads 0145 and 0060. To read the order go to: https://go.usa.gov/xU6mC For More Information: Visit InciWeb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5863/. Email: mantilasalfire@gmail.com
The Forest Service representative Mark Chamberlain reported to the public lands council he said the rehab work on the Trail Mountain fire has started. Wood mulch will be dropped on the steeper slopes to hold the soils. There will be 1,600 acres treated. It will take a month to complete and the process started Aug. 12.
The Cottonwood Canyon road is closed. No one can be in the area when the helicopters are dropping the mulch. It costs $15,000 to shut down the helicopter. The cows and sheep are in the burn area. The cows will probably stay there, but the sheep will be moved to greener pastures.
Bow hunters who hike into the area won’t be stopped.
The trucks hauling the mulch are taking up most of the road and an ATV rider had a near miss when they ran under a truck and then kept going. The mulch is coming from Fredonia, Arizona and being trucked to Trail Mountain.
Rehabilitation work continues on Trail Mountain fire
Forest Service Regional Soil Scientist Jeff Bruggink instructs seasonal employees Curtis Hallows and Maddison Allinson how to inspect wood mulching work on the Trail Mountain Fire Scar. US Forest Service