Lightning caused the Babylon Fire, according to a July 17 update from the fire’s incident management team, which reported the 107,173-acre wildfire had reached 62% containment Friday.

The fire started June 26 on Elk Ridge in the Dark Canyon Wilderness Area of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, about 25 miles southwest of Monticello. Investigators identified the point of origin at the site of a documented lightning strike, the update said.

Investigators based the determination on physical evidence consistent with a lightning ignition and ruled out other potential causes. Five structures have been destroyed since the fire began.

The reported fire size increased slightly from 107,104 acres Thursday to 107,173 acres Friday, while containment rose from 57% to 62%, continuing gains made over the past nine days.

Staffing also continued to decline, with 1,155 personnel assigned Friday, down 100 from the previous day. The response includes 33 crews, 13 helicopters, 43 engines, three dozers and 20 water tenders.

All evacuation areas west of Highway 191, south of Highway 211 and north of Highway 95 remain at ready status, meaning residents are not being asked to evacuate but should be prepared to do so if conditions worsen. Fire managers urged residents to stay aware of the fire and continue monitoring official updates because it remains active and conditions can change.

Additional roads and public lands reopened Friday as agencies continued easing closures related to the fire. Highway 211 reopened to the Canyonlands National Park boundary at the entrance to The Needles district, and Bureau of Land Management lands north of the highway reopened. The Needles district will reopen to the public Saturday, July 18, at 8 a.m., according to the National Park Service. Elephant Hill, Lavender and Davis Canyon roads will remain closed to motor vehicles and bicycles.

The park service also advised visitors to be aware of increased fire traffic in the area as agencies continue response and recovery operations.

The Forest Service also reopened the portion of the Monticello Ranger District southeast of and including Blue Mountain Ranch Road and Recapture Road. The reopened area includes Devils Canyon Campground and all Forest Service lands, roads and trails southeast of those routes. Stage 2 fire restrictions remain in effect there.

A new Forest Service closure order took effect Friday, reducing the area closed because of the fire. Nearly all other Forest Service lands in the Monticello Ranger District remain closed through Aug. 31 unless the Forest Service lifts the order earlier.

Fire managers said crews continue focusing on the eastern perimeter and areas where firefighters completed a planned burnout Wednesday. They are moving unburned logs, branches and other woody debris farther inside containment lines to reduce nearby fuel and strengthen the lines.

Mop-up and patrol operations continue across the fire as crews locate and extinguish remaining hot spots. Two wildland fire modules are being deployed to the northeast side, where the small crews will establish temporary camps and work independently for extended periods in rugged, difficult-to-access terrain, according to Friday’s update.

Suppression repair also continues in areas affected by firefighting operations. An additional road repair group is expected to help restore access routes and repair damage caused during the response.

Fire managers said fire activity remained moderate Thursday, with flames spreading slowly along and against the wind in some areas. Individual trees or small groups of trees also briefly ignited within interior pockets of timber.

Showers and thunderstorms were expected to continue Friday. Rain could further moderate fire activity, but lightning and erratic outflow winds may pose hazards to firefighters. Heavy rain over burned areas could also cause localized flash flooding or debris flows.

Additional information is available on the Babylon Fire InciWeb page, while evacuation updates are available on San Juan County’s Babylon Fire 2026 page.

Note to readers: This story has been updated to include the National Park Service’s announcement that the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park will reopen to the public Saturday, July 18, at 8 a.m.

This story was first published by The Times-Independent.