Photo Credit: NPS Photos
This summer’s Babylon Fire offered a powerful reminder that supporting our national parks means supporting the people who care for them.
As the fire spread across southeast Utah, it required a coordinated regional response. The fire quickly became the highest-priority fire in the United States, involving 1,400 personnel, and came within 1 mile of the boundary of Canyonlands National Park. Although the fire never entered the park, its proximity forced the closure of the Needles District and the evacuation of park staff. From the start of the fire, National Park Service staff remained actively involved in planning efforts.
NPS staff wrap the historic Kirk Cabin in the Needles District with protective material as the Babylon Fire threatens the area. Built in the late 1800s by homesteader Rensselaer Lee Kirk, the cabin is one of the many cultural resources protected within Canyonlands National Park.
Photo Credit: NPS Photos
During the evacuation, two Needles employees were relocated to the Bates Wilson Legacy Lodge, the home provided by Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks to NPS rangers. Having access to this temporary housing was crucial, as it provided park staff with a safe place to stay. While a few nights in a hotel are great for a vacation, having a home gave staff the stability and peace of mind they needed to continue supporting the park through the disruption.
(L): NPS staff work alongside fire crews near the park boundary. Crews used saw work and cold trailing to extinguish burning trees and remaining hot spots, reducing the potential for future fire growth. (R): An NPS archeologist identifies cultural resources that need protection, including Kirk’s Cabin and the artifact pictured here: a mano, a handheld groundstone tool used to grind foods such as pine nuts and maize.
Photo Credit: NPS Photos
As wildfires and other environmental challenges become more frequent, the needs of our parks continue to evolve.
Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks provides responsive support that strengthens the National Park Service’s ability to support park staff, preserve natural and cultural resources, and enhance the visitor experience.
Your support makes this work possible, giving Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks the flexibility to respond to the most pressing needs of the parks we love. Please consider making a gift today to help ensure our parks are prepared for whatever challenges lie ahead.
