The Monroe Canyon fire started on July 13, 2025 approximately 3.5 miles southeast of the Town of Monroe, Utah. The fire is burning near the communities of Richfield, Monroe, and Koosharem. Initial fire activity included extreme surface spread with tree torching and continuous potential for short to long-range crown runs with medium range spotting. It started near Monroe Canyon Road and spread SW toward the western edge of Monroe Mountain and NE across Monroe Mountain and off the east side across BLM to State Highway 24. It stretched approximately 19 miles in a NE/SW direction across Monroe Mountain and off the NE side across Bear Valley. The fire activity was described as extreme with measurable perimeter advancement and very high heat intensity development mainly due to the sustained hot dry weather patterns. The fire burned through moderate to high density mixed conifer forest, pinon/juniper and oak shrublands and narrow, densely vegetated riparian areas in drainage valley bottoms. As of September 8, 2025 the Monroe Canyon Fire consumed over 73,700 acres and totaled more that $101.72 million dollars to actively suppress the fire. The overwhelming need to reseed critical winter, summer and transitional wildlife areas, reconstruct existing county and USFS roads as well as UTV/ATV trail accesses, in addition to constructing water pipelines, troughs, fences and other trail systems is critical to the restoration work anticipated on the wildland fire. Overall partnership with local USFS, BLM, FFSL, UDWR, WRI, SITLA, BIA, Grazing Permittees and Private Landowners is going to be critical in making this Fire Rehab Project a success.

This project objectives will consist of aerially seeding over 40,000 acres of the burned areas within the Monroe Canyon Fire with suitable grasses, forbs, shrub and browse species. This will be done through the use of contracting through State Purchasing a seeding contractor to aerially seed identified areas of the project. Opportunities will be available on USFS, SITLA, Private and BLM properties after the primary seeding has been aerially applied to single chain the suitable areas to cover the seed and reduce erosion areas within the burn. This aspect of the project will be done through renting two D8 tracked Dozers and the use of BLM or USFS Fuels Employees to complete the chaining portions of this project this fall. Additional efforts will be to inventory all USFS, BIA, SITLA, Private and BLM fence lines in the area to see what needs to be replaced or fixed, Project Manager will be working closely with the Richfield Forest Service and BLM Office's as well as SITLA to complete these tasks. UDWR, BLM, SITLA , Private landowners and the Forest Service will work together as a partnership to accomplish these objectives and complete the restoration needs to ensure a diverse rangeland community of grasses, forbs, shrubs and browse species are reseeded through this effort. In addition, the added need for Grass Bank areas maybe critical in the future for livestock grazing will be deferred on portions of the Monroe Mtn.

Within the 73,000 plus acres of the Monroe Canyon Fire of 2025, the potential risk of not doing any restoration work will allow for invasion of noxious weed species, and little to no grasses, forbs and shrub recruitment that maybe present in the high and medium severity burn scar. In additional areas that had moderate to low severity the likely hood of the grass and forb component will likely recover, or should show a response in the future. Erosion of soil will be present due to rain and snow precipitation allowing for flooding of lower elevation properties particularly the Town of Monroe, Utah. Rangeland plant health will be compromised due to lack reseeding efforts and covering the seed through proper implementation efforts. The need for soils to stabilize is critical within the next year or two. Perennial grass, forb and shrub species that will become established in the future will benefit livestock and wildlife within the Monroe Canyon Fire. Post Fire flooding also pose a risk to human life and safety. Storm Patrols will be necessary to protect USFS values at risk and implementing early flood warning systems could significantly mitigate risks to human life and safety. Severe risk to roads and trails is very likely as well, loss of soil due to erosion will be significant within the burn scar. Working with the BLM, SITLA, Private, BIA and USFS will allow for a overall restoration effort at will identify several areas of need moving forward. The increase need to reseed valuable winter range at lower elevations is just as critical as reseeding the valuable summer range targeted areas. Reseeding efforts will play a major role in the relation ship of noxious weed and grass species that become present after a fire of this magnitude. Working together with local State, Federal and NGO agencies as well as County Commissioners and State Representatives is critical in making this project be successful.

This action responds to the goals and objectives outlined in the Fishlake Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP). The desired conditions described in the EIS and the purpose and need for this project are consistent with the Forest's goals, the objectives found in Chapter IV of the LRMP, and the Utah Fire Amendment (USFS 2001). The proposed treatment units are within the following management areas: * 2B -- Rural and Roaded Natural Recreation; * 4A -- Fish Habitat Improvement; * 4B -- Habitat for Management Indicator Species; * 5A -- Big Game Winter Range - Non-forested; * 6B -- Intensive Livestock Management; * 7B -- Wood-Fiber Production - Genetics; and * 9F-- Improved Watershed. Ecosystems are restored and maintained, consistent with land uses and historic fire regimes, through wildland fire use and prescribed fire (Utah Fire Amendment, pg. A-40). The Aspen ROD is consistent with the following plans: (1) Fishlake National Forest Fire Management Plan in restoring fire adapted ecosystems. (2) The "Guidelines for Aspen Restoration on the National Forests in Utah" publication developed by the Utah Forest Aspen Restoration Working Group. (3) Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Elk Management Plan. a. Habitat Management Goal: i. Conserve and improve elk habitat throughout the state. This project will help maintain a viable elk herd on the Monroe Unit, Fishlake Unit and Mt. Dutton units. (4) The Greater Plateau Elk Complex Elk Management Plan (2016) lists range improvements in the habitat objectives section. This project specifically addresses the components listed under range improvements in that it enhances forage production and habitat quality through direct range improvements on winter range within the unit. (5) Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Mule Deer Management Plan. This project will help introduce species diversity back into the Monroe Mountain area. A mosaic design is part of the implementation strategy to create a pattern of treated and un-treated acres that will create an increase of biodiversity. (6) Grazing Allotment Plans for 10 different allotments within the overall project boundaries. The amount of forage available to livestock is expected to increase significantly as a result of this project. (7) Utah Wild Turkey Management Plan. Newly treated areas through fire or mechanical means will attract use by wild turkey which are abundant on Monroe Mountain. Insects and new growth will be readily available to support turkey populations. (8) UDWR Wildlife Action Plan. This project is geared toward meeting the goals found within this plan for a variety of wildlife species from large too small. The project is in line with the State's Wildlife Action Plan in that it directly benefits lentic water, lotic water, mountain riparian, and wet meadow habitats. It further directly benefits Bonneville cutthroat trout and boreal toad. (9) National Cohesive Strategy. By means of prescribed fire and mechanical thinning at a landscape scale, the resulting mosaic of early and late successional forests will work toward the goal of restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes. (10) State of Utah Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy. The Monroe Mountain Aspen Ecosystems Restoration Project aligns with the mission of the State of Utah's Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy. The project has developed a comprehensive and systematic approach toward reducing the size, intensity and frequency of catastrophic wildland fires on Monroe Mountain through a collaborative process. (11) Monroe Mountain Cove Mountain CWPP a. Goal 1: Minimize the potential wildland fire threat to life safety (Monroe Mountain Cove Mountain CWPP). This project works to achieve Goal 1 of the Monroe Mountain Cove Mountain CWPP by reducing fuel loading and lowering the potential of wildland fire spread across Monroe Mountain. (12) State of Utah Forest Action Plan. The Monroe Mountain Aspen Ecosystems Restoration Project addresses all three of the key goals laid out in the Forest Action Plan. (13) State of Utah Boreal Toad Conservation Plan. Boreal toad monitoring that will take place in connection with the Monroe Mountain Aspen Ecosystem Restoration Project aligns with conservation actions listed in the State of Utah Boreal Toad Conservation Plan. (14) Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Bonneville Cutthroat Trout. This project aligns with conservation actions listed in the Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Bonneville cutthroat trout. a. Southern Bonneville Management Unit management actions: "Fires and floods are a threat to small, isolated BCT populations. These threats are usually associated with fragmented habitat. Small populations potentially are subject to random events that threaten their existence. Such threats decrease with increasing populations, population size, habitat complexity and connectedness." Implementation of this project will reduce the threat of catastrophic fire and the associated negative impacts to Bonneville cutthroat trout on Monroe Mountain. (15) Sevier County Resource Management Plan. This project is congruent with the policies and desired management practices found in Sevier County's Resource Management Plan. (16) Central Utah Fire Management Plan (FMP): Greater use of vegetation management to meet resource management objectives. Hazardous fuels treatments will be used to restore ecosystems, protect human, natural and cultural resources, and reduce the threat of wildfire to communities. The burn plans are reviewed, and each ignition is approved through the Utah State Smoke Management Plan, as described in Utah Rule 307-204. This project will meet the Utah State Smoke Management Plan requirements.

The need to reseed and establish a improved community of grasses, forbs, shrubs and browse species is critical to support wildlife and livestock in the future. Through restoration efforts from the USFS, UDWR, Private Landowners, BIA, BLM, and Grazing Permitees this will be a partnership that can obtain the goals and objectives by working together to restore and maintain the area's effected by the Monroe Canyon Fire. The extensive reseeding efforts will need to take place to ensure a successful establishment of perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs will establish in the future to allow for the future reduction in wildfire behavior. This reduction would be due to the resilient seed species being reseeded and planted, which will contribute to and help suppress fire activity in the future. The Monroe Mountain Management Unit has experienced several large scale Habitat Restoration Project over 5 -10 years. Through these Habitat Treatments fuel loading and suppression efforts were reduced during this fire allowing for air and ground support to be more productive in stopping or suppressing the spread as it encountered these treatments. Fuel loading on this fire within the fire scar has been reduced at time adding lower concentrated fuels. With the implementation and reseeding efforts of perennial grasses, shrubs and forbs we are hopeful we can establish future perennial understory diversity that can compete and resist or control large scale wildfire behavior.

Information obtained from the BAR Report as per the Monroe Canyon Fire 2025: The primary watershed responses of the Monroe Canyon Fire are expected to include: 1) an initial flush of ash, 2) rilling, gullying, and mass wasting erosion in drainages and on steep slopes within the burned area, and 3) increased peak flows and sediment deposition, particularly during short duration, high intensity precipitation events. While post-fire response is expected to occur during monsoonal storms over the next few years, the amount of steep terrain burned at a moderate to high severity in the Monroe Canyon, Water Canyon, and Dry Canyon basins present an increased risk of post-fire debris flow generation (USGS Debris Flow Hazard Model) Approximately 33,222 acres (48% of the total burn) within the Monroe Canyon Fire perimeter are characterized as having moderate and high soil burn severity. These areas will contribute to the elevated watershed response due to loss of effective groundcover. Areas of particular concern for this analysis were the steep, high severity burned hillslopes within the Monroe Canyon and Water Canyon areas. Sub watersheds within these areas were modeled to estimate changes to post-fire peak flows. The Wildcat model was used on poursheds less than five square miles (3,200 acres), storms expected to occur within the fire area within the burned area that could produce damaging post-fire effects are short duration, high intensity rainstorms and are likely to cause localized effects. These are typical during Utah's monsoon season which occurs from July through August. "The probability of damage or loss to human life and safety within the Monroe Canyon Watershed roads and trails due to hazard trees, rockfall, flash floods and debris flows is likely, and is elevated to a very likely within the popular Monrovian Day Use area where people congregate. This is supported by the USGS Debris Flow model which predicts an 80-100% probability of debris flow occurrence within this watershed, and is further supported by the hydrologic modelling which predicts anywhere between a 220-420x increase in magnitude of peak flows from three tributaries to Monroe Creek (Oak Flat Creek, Serviceberry Creek, Third Lefthand Fork). "

As the BLM, USFS, SITLA, BIA and Private Landowners evaluate the treatment areas, specific areas identified may need to have Culture Resources Clearances completed. Areas identified as a one way chaining or a chain harrow, and or drill seeding treatment occur, the overseeing need for areas to be surveyed or information provided due to past treatments in the area. The opportunity to conduct a cadastral survey will need to be completed finding the section corners and quarter corners of the treatment areas. Certain inventories may have been completed in the past for the UDWR, SITLA, BIA, Private, USFS and the BLM portions. The Project Manager will follow up to ensure treatments can move forward without any complications. UDWR Project Manager will consult with UDWR Archaeologist Arie Leeflang along with coordination from the USFS, SITLA and BLM Archaeologist. In addition, the need for SHPO consultation will need to be addressed as well moving forward.

Methods for this Monroe Canyon Fire rehab effort will include but not limited to: #1) Single -way chaining of identified areas with BLM, SITLA , BIA and Private #2) Drill Seeding efforts in identified areas of the Bear Valley and or Sandledges Areas. #3) Plateau Herbicide Treatments within 566 acres of SITLA Properties #4) Aerial Seeding of High and Moderate intensity burn areas on the Fishlake Forest, BLM, SILTA, BIA and Private Properties. #5) Replacement of Allotment and boundary fences as funding allows #6) Replace and installation of water troughs, pipelines and the enhancement of spring locations. #7) Contracting restoration efforts through State of Utah Purchasing, for contract services for chaining implementation. #8) On going construction and trail maintenance as it pertains to UTV/ATV access and also forest service and BLM access points on the Monroe Mountain. Continued Support and Great Partnerships will play a big roll in making this project a great success, funding from WRI, USFS, BLM, HC, ECP SITLA, USFWS and Private Ownerships will allow for restoration efforts to continue and restore the Monroe Canyon fire of 2025.

Fishlake Forest Service Richfield Ranger District, BLM, SITLA and UDWR will be looking at utilizing photo points within the treatment site, along with wildlife monitoring from agency Wildlife Biologist that will include spring and fall classifications of deer and elk. Forest Service, SITLA and BLM Range Conservationist will be conducting and gathering rangeland data as grass, forbs and shrubs respond to the treatments within the Monroe Canyon Fire Restoration Project. The BLM, SITLA, UDWR, USFWS and USFS Richfield District will also be involved with the project and overseeing their properties, making sure establishment of the grasses, forbs and shrubs are growing before grazing will return. Project Manager along with all partnerships involved with the restoration efforts will be looking at the need to re-establish and build fences that boarder BLM, SITLA, Private and BIA and the USFS. USFS will continue to pursue funding for Allotment fences, water troughs and pipelines as well as trail and UTV/ATV Maintenance. We will continue to work with the adjacent agencies making sure establishment of grasses, forbs and shrubs are suitable for grazing after the two or even three years of deferred grazing. UDWR may provide additional "Grass Bank" type grazing on our WMA's to help livestock producers that have been effected by the Monroe Canyon Fire. Monitoring for noxious weed species will be critical across this fire, all federal and state agencies will need to monitor for invasive weed species due to the disturbance of the fire and restoration treatments that will occur. Opportunities to add additional funding in the future will be critical in controlling invasive annual grass and noxious weed species.

The Monroe Mountain Aspen Ecosystems Restoration Project is a result of several years of planning and collaboration among interested parties, groups and organizations, and Federal, State and local government agencies. In January 2010, the Utah Forest Aspen Restoration Working Group (UFRWG) finalized the 2010 Guidelines for Aspen Restoration on the National Forests in Utah (UFRWG 2010). As part of this effort, the UFRWG submitted a call for project proposals that could effectively test the newly created guidelines. The Fishlake National Forest submitted the Monroe Mountain Aspen Ecosystems Restoration Project to the UFRWG for their consideration. The proposal was accepted and in April 2011 the Monroe Mountain Working Group (MMWG) was formed to provide recommendations and feedback to the District as the project was being developed. From May 2011 through December 2015 the Richfield Ranger District met with the MMWG almost monthly developing and working on this project. These meetings were open to the public to provide information, ask and answer questions and discuss the proposed action and alternatives. The MMWG consist of the following stakeholders: Utah Cattlemen's Association; Utah Woolgrowers Association; Utah State University Extension; Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife; Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation; Trout Unlimited; Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR); Piute County Commission; Sevier County Commission; Utah Department of Agriculture and Food; Utah Farm Bureau; Rocky Mountain Research Station; Grand Canyon Trust; Western Aspen Alliance; and Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (Matt Christensen and Justin Short). The Utah Department of Wildlife Resources was a cooperating agency for the Monroe Aspen EIS and Final Record of Decision. The Monroe Mountain Aspen Ecosystems Restoration Project was selected by the Joint Chiefs' Landscape Restoration Partnership with NRCS and USFS for the second time and a currently has a proposal for another 3 year phase of funding waiting selection. Through this Joint Chiefs' Partnership with NRCS along with partnership with UFFSLs and multiple private landowners, treatments are also occurring on private lands located on Monroe Mountain in conjunction with treatments occurring on lands managed by the Richfield Ranger District. Coordination meetings are taking place between USFS, UFFSLs, BLM and UDWR to plan collaboratively future treatments that will mutually benefit all agencies along with promoting landscape-level restoration. Multiple partnership agreements are in place to assist in implementation of this project that include: (1) A Good Neighbor Agreement with UFFSLs that will allow us to utilize and include local volunteer fire departments and state fire resources during prescribed fire planning and implementation; (2) A Good Neighbor Agreement with UDWR that promotes the UDWR to be involved with planning and implementation; (3) An interagency agreement with the BLM. This will allow for an interagency effort during implementation of the prescribed fire on BLM and USFS land along with utilizing BLM work force during portions of the mechanical implementation; and (4) The Richfield Ranger District is partnered with the Fire and Smoke Modeling Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE) research group that have been involved during multiple prescribed fire activities on the Monroe Mountain Aspen Ecosystems Restoration Project. FASMEE is a multi-agency effort to provide advanced measurements necessary to evaluate and advance operationally used fire and smoke modeling systems and their underlying scientific models. The field campaign began spring 2019 during Phase 4 of this project and has continued most recently this Fall 2023 during Phase 8 implementation. Portions of FASMEE related research are planned to be conducted on future large operational prescribed fires during this phase of the project along with future phases. In 2017, the Six County Association of Governments had their annual natural resources tour on Monroe Mountain. Governor Herbert also attended for part of the day. Throughout the day this project area and other project areas on the Monroe were visited. Those in attendance expressed their support for this project and doing active management. Numerous other tours have occurred on Monroe Mountain each year since then. These tours are continually focused on group engagement and dialogue while showing completed treatments across the mountain and associated successes of implementing at a landscape/ecological level utilizing adaptive management.

Future Management of this project will likely include the deferral of livestock grazing on the BLM, USFS, SITLA and Private Properties. Livestock grazing will be deferred for at least two to maybe even three growing seasons or until establishment of grass, forbs and shrubs are deemed ready to be grazed. When grazing is re-established a grazing management plan will be developed and monitored by the Richfield Forest Service, BLM and SITLA Range Conservationist, allowing for proper grazing management of the reseeding efforts. We will be entering into Cooperative Agreements with the private landowner for the seed donation and equipment equipment rental as well as treatments take place on private lands. BLM and USFS will conduct their own assessments of the treatment response in accordance with Land use Management plans. In addition, public roads and trails will need to be evaluated for accessibility to the public. USFS will need to repair and or replace several watering systems, troughs, pipelines and springs after the fire. Future funding maybe requested to replace boundary fences, interior fences and or culverts associated with USFS, BLM and SITLA properties. The ever needed attention will be placed on the debris as flooding will occur, causing heavy debris flows towards the town of Monroe, associated with Monrovian Canyon, Dry Creek and First and Second Hand Creek tributaries. Additional work will be done as dead and down trees become an issue, the need for removal and or habitat treatments will be addressed as future needs arise.

PUBLIC and ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY: As part of this project, traditional timber sales have been occurring and are planned to continue throughout project implementation. Efforts are being made to commercially sale merchantable timber (primarily spruce) during this phase of implementation by targeting the dead standing spruce for commercial sale and preserving the live spruce regeneration in the understory. This will allow for sustainable forestry management and timber production in the future. All these completed timber sales are being purchased by local Utah based timber companies. Spruce from Monroe Mountain is being utilized by a log home building company located in Gunnison Utah. Supplying a consistent timber product with the associated consistent economic benefits for these small local companies is planned to continue as part of this project. Some treated areas may be re-planted as deemed appropriate by the District Timber Staff. Some fir dominated areas that were prescribed fire treated during this project are currently in the process of being replanted with merchantable timber species such as Spruce and Douglas Fir. These areas will be managed for the long-term supply of timber products. District Timber staff have been promoting commercial biomass sales of normally non merchantable timber such as white and sub-alpine fir to local private companies to be processed into wood chips. Some interest is starting to be shown and hopefully a market niche will be developed and more of the biomass produced from the mechanical portions of this project will be able to be utilized. Numerous contracts have been awarded to private companies to complete treatments on Monroe Mountain. Multiple other contracts are planned in the future. These contracts provide economic benefits to the local communities by helping to sustain employment for folks working for the private companies which are mostly local Utah based companies. Monroe Mountain is a very popular hunting unit for big game, fishing (a variety of fish species), camping, wildlife viewing, hiking, snowmobiling, private land ownership, wild turkeys and a variety of upland game and non-game species. Aspen restoration will improve transition and summer ranges that will benefit wildlife along with improving water quality and reducing risk to necessary fish habitat and watersheds. This project will promote sustainability for a variety of sportsmen and sportswomen along with providing more hunting and fishing opportunities for future generations. Miles of hiking and ATV trails exist across Monroe Mountain. With the Sevier County ATV Jamboree each year, riders from across the country enjoy riding trails in this area and enjoy camping and recreating. Aspen restoration across the mountain will promote a renewed resilient beautiful sustainable forest that will be enjoyed by future generations. Vegetation treatments that encourage aspen regeneration on spring and summer range will continue to provide quality deer fawning and elk calving habitat. A productive understory combined with some dead and down trees is optimal habitat for big game birthing. It is imperative that additional acres are treated to benefit big game and livestock body conditions at the end of summer and fall. Productive forage on the range will help livestock end-of-season weight gains be optimized. This project will continue to provide those opportunities to ungulate animals by improving the health and integrity of the overall ecosystem. A wide variety of species inhabit the aspen-spruce-fir ecosystem of Monroe Mtn. FORAGE PRODUCTION or IMPROVED DISTRIBUTION: Aspen ecosystems are rich in species of grasses, forbs, and animals; especially in comparison to associated coniferous forest types. The high value of the aspen ecosystem type as a forage resource for livestock and as forage and cover for wildlife increases with the implementation of this project. Through both the mechanical thinning and prescribed fire treatments, conifer encroachment is reduced, and aspen regeneration/recruitment is promoted. This in return moves aspen ecosystems on the Monroe Mountain on a trajectory toward accomplishing desired conditions thus improving aspen ecosystems. The amount of forage and total area available for livestock grazing is expected to increase significantly as a result of this project. With the removal of conifer, the amount of usable grasses and forbs in the aspen understory is expected to increase significantly. By thinning and or burning the overgrown mixed conifer areas, the amount of usable area to graze will also increase as a result of this project. With increased forage livestock distribution and management is expected to improve. Many areas that are currently unproductive due to overgrowth will soon become desirable for future uses by livestock. Livestock numbers on Monroe Mountain have been fairly constant for the past 50 years; however, during that timeframe with subalpine fir encroachment into aspen stands and PJ encroachment into sagebrush/grass/forb areas the amount of forage available to ungulates has decreased significantly. Healthy aspen stands provide 800-1,000 pounds of forage per acre and with conifer encroachment forage decreases to 0-50 pounds per acre. In treatments areas we are seeing significant increases in forage. This restored forage is and will continue to provide better conditions for ungulates already on Monroe Mountain and is restoring forage that has been declining for the past century. This restored forage in the aspen will help improve ungulate distribution and we anticipate benefits in the adjacent community types as distribution is improved. This increased forage also will help during drought years and help maintain forage for a longer period of time into the grazing season. Having the season of use or livestock numbers temporary reduced during drought years is constantly a concern for permittees. With increased forage, our ability to maintain livestock numbers and season of use (while also maintaining compliance with the grazing standards and guidelines outlined in the Fishlake Land and Resource Management Plan) during the drought years becomes easier. OTHER SUSTAINABLE USES of NATURAL RESOURCES: This phase of the project protects and enhances municipal drinking water systems and watersheds for communities located in the Sevier Valley that provide sustainable clean drinking water to numerous residents. Refer to the "Fire/Fuels" section for more details.