(St. George, UT) - The majority of fire starts reported Wednesday and Thursday within the Color Country Interagency Fire Management Area, including Southern Utah and Northern Arizona, have been minimal, with the majority being single tree lightning starts. Approximately 95 percent of fire starts reported in the last week in this region are now contained, controlled or out.

On public lands administered by the BLM Arizona Strip District based in St. George, Utah:

The Two Kids fire located near Oak Grove within the Arizona Strip District (currently totaling .10 acres) is being managed for multiple objectives. The Craig fire located north of Mt. Trumbull is contained and controlled. Crews are continuing to control remaining fires and monitor the region for any new starts.

As many as 30 fires have been reported since July 19, 2010. The majority of these fires were single tree lightning caused fires which were contained the same day the fires were reported.

Within the past week, the Paria Plateau has seen a total of 15 fires. All but one of these fires, the Coyote Buttes South fire, have been contained and controlled. Coyote Buttes South (currently .10 acres) is currently being managed for multiple objectives.

The human caused Callister Fire near Cedar Pockets which grew to a total of 15 acres has been contained and controlled. Fire officials would like to remind the public to be mindful of the potential for wildfires when recreating on public lands over the holiday weekend and to practice fire prevention techniques including using spark arresters on machinery and putting camp fires dead out. The use of fireworks is also prohibited on federally managed lands. Fireworks are always prohibited on state owned land as well.

On private lands in Washington County: The Veyo Pool fire near the recreation site on privately owned land in Veyo, Utah was extinguished at three acres in size and as of Tuesday poses no threat to the community.

On public lands administered by the BLM Color Country District based in Cedar City, Utah:

The Badger Fire located roughly 19 miles north of Cedar City, which started July 20, 2010 and grew to a total of 397 acres, is contained and controlled is in the mop up stage.

All fires reported east of Milford, Utah yesterday (two on BLM lands and one on private land) have been contained and controlled and all fires reported Tuesday, near Jensen Springs and northwest of Lund, Utah on BLM administered lands were contained and controlled as of Wednesday.

The Jensen Fire, which grew to three acres, is a suppression fire and fire officials anticipate containment by Thursday evening. The Mountain Fire (which totaled .10 acres) has been contained and controlled.

The single tree fire reported southwest of Cedar City on privately owned lands, the two fires reported east of Milford, Utah, and the two fires reported north of Cedar City near Mud Springs were all contained and controlled Wednesday. The single tree Dundee Fire reported Wednesday was contained and controlled Wednesday.

On public lands administered by the Dixie National Forest:

As of Wednesday, the single tree starts reported on the Escalante Ranger District of the Dixie National Forest earlier this week have been contained and controlled.

For more information concerning fire management in the Color Country Interagency Fire Management Area, go to Utah Fire Information, or call (435) 865-4696.