The FireBreak Campaign

08/28/2026

"The fire is at 11% containment." "Firefighters are establishing containment lines." "Containment increased overnight to 50%."

It's all over the news during wildfire season — but what does fire containment really mean?

That's the subject of our Fire Talk Friday this month!

08/24/2026

Great info in this article about preparing for wildfire🔥Head to
https://www.firebreakmoab.org/reducing-wildfire-risk/ if you'd like to see some Moab-specific materials applying these concepts to our denser neighborhoods.

Utah entered the 2026 fire season with heightened concerns about wildfire, given the record-low snowpack. This concern has materialized as nearly 800 wildfires have burned across Utah that are approaching half a million acres burned. 

08/19/2026

☀️ Summer fine fuels & how to manage them 🌾

Are your grasses & tumbleweeds taking off (or just kind of annoyingly persisting)? We've got tips for you!

Yes, winter is the best time to do the "heavy lifting" of fire fuels mitigation, but summer is still a time when you can safely reduce the fire risk of some fine fuels. It can also be a great time to interrupt the seed cycle of some plants that have recently germinated, like tumbleweeds!

Grand County W**d Department helped put together this guide to dealing with some of Moab's most persistent offenders!

08/06/2026

Have you UCC-seen these folks in town?

This summer, crews from Utah Conservation Corps have been working with FireBREAK to mitigate flood and wildfire risks along Mill and Pack creeks in town. Crewmembers have been:

🪵 removing flood debris that can worsen future floods and create hazardous fuel loading
🪾 cutting other targeted fire fuels, like a snag that had fallen along Pack Creek near Main Street
🌱 pulling saplings and resprouts of invasive fire fuels along the creeks

FireBREAK’s main wildfire mitigation work happens in late fall through early spring — which is when the work is safest and most productive! However, summer is also a valuable time for filling in gaps when conditions allow.

(Note that this work occurred during a wet, stormy week and crews had a fire extinguisher and water on hand.)

We’ll be back with our regularly scheduled mitigation work in October. Until then, keep it up with that great , Moab!

🎥 video cred to crewmember Adam Lippy

07/31/2026

Here's another look at shaded fuel breaks (for a recent example, check out our video from last week).

Shaded fuel breaks are a type of fuel break or fire break where canopy cover is maintained, while the "ladder fuels" that can drive ground fires up into those canopies are removed.

In Moab, these ladder fuels are usually Russian olive, Siberian elm, and tamarisk trees — all invasive, flammable mid-level trees that increase the chance of a fire spreading into the cottonwood canopies above.

Those are the trees FireBREAK is most focused on reducing!

07/21/2026

🌳🔥🪚Check out our work!

This past winter, FireBREAK crews from Moab Valley Fire Department and Grand County Noxious W**ds Department established a shaded fuel break on private property in Spanish Valley.

Shaded fuel breaks maintain native habitat and canopy cover while reducing the “ladder fuels” that can drive small ground fires up into tree canopies. By breaking that link, shaded fuel breaks keep potential fires slower and less dangerous for firefighters to extinguish.

Great work, crews!

***

The funding for this project was derived in full or in part from a federal award of the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, sub-awarded by the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands.

07/16/2026

It may be hard to believe after so much dry weather, but monsoon season is on the way. Here are some ways you can prepare:

🏠 Pay attention to where water collects on your property and use sandbags to protect areas such as doorways. 24/7 sandbag filling areas include the former Red Rock Elementary property across from Rotary Park, the North Emma Boulevard parking lot, and South 100 East at Groff Bike Skills Park. Sandbags are also available at the Moab City Public Works Yard and the Grand County Roads Department during their opening hours.

🌧 Be weather-aware. Check the forecast from US National Weather Service Grand Junction Colorado and plan your outdoor activities accordingly. Use caution around slot canyons, dry washes, and recent burn scars if precipitation is in the forecast. A live map of National Weather Service watches and warnings can be found on the main page of the Grand County Emergency Management website (https://www.grandcountyutah.net/174/Emergency-Management).

⚠️ Have multiple ways to receive emergency alerts. Sign up for local alerts at grandcountyalerts.org and download the myAlerts app. Know the difference between a flood watch and a flood warning. A flood watch means that flooding is possible. A flood warning means that flooding is happening or will happen soon.

A little preparation today can make a big difference tomorrow. Thank you for keeping our community strong and safe!

Graphic credit: Moab City

07/14/2026

It certainly feels like monsoon season is starting up this week! Pick up free sandbags at locations around the Moab Valley, and sign up to receive emergency alerts at grandcountyalerts.org.

🌧️ Time to Prepare: Monsoon Season Is On the Way

Be ready before the storms arrive. Sandbags can help protect your home and property if flooding occurs.

The City has free fill-yourself sandbag stations available at these locations:
📍 Emma Boulevard
📍 Former Red Rock Elementary property (across from Rotary Park)
📍 Near Groff Bike Skills Park off 100 East
📍 Public Works Yard

Sandbags are also available at Grand County Road Department.

Don't wait until the rain starts—prepare now to help stay safe this monsoon season.

07/09/2026

There are some wildfire preparedness workshops coming up in Monticello this weekend for anyone interested.

07/08/2026