Fishlake National Forest adds Widemouth 2 fire closure in Utah
A new Fishlake National Forest closure shuts roads, trails and entry in the Fillmore Ranger District, so trips into the Widemouth 2 fire area are off-limits.
Fishlake National Forest issued a Widemouth 2 Fire Closure Order on Aug. 2, and that changes the answer for anyone trying to reach a trail, campsite or scenic drive in the fire area: do not enter the Fillmore Ranger District closure zone. The order, labeled Order #0408-26-14, closes the district for safety because of wildland fire and blocks the most common backcountry moves, including entering or being in the area, traveling on roads and using trails.
For recreationists, that means the usual multi-stop Fishlake itinerary around central Utah is disrupted wherever it overlaps the closure footprint. If a route depends on a forest road, a trailhead pullout or a dispersed camping spur inside the Fillmore Ranger District, it is off-limits under the order. The same restriction applies to people simply passing through on the way to a fishing spot, reservoir access, or a scenic drive segment that cuts across the district.
The closure sits inside a fast-moving fire response. The Widemouth 2 Fire was sparked by lightning. On July 28, ABC4 reported it had grown from an estimated 1,000 acres early that Tuesday to 4,371 acres later in the day, with the Millard County Sheriff saying 150 personnel were on scene and a Northern Utah Type 2 Incident Management Team ordered in to help. By July 29, the fire had jumped to 5,000 acres and evacuation orders had been issued near Kanosh. KUTV 2 News Salt Lake City reported on Aug. 2 that the fire had burned 36,000 acres in Millard County and that strong winds had pushed it about 9 miles north toward Fillmore.
The fire mapping adds another layer for trip planning. Watch Duty placed the incident between Widemouth Canyon and Limekiln Canyon, about 6 miles southwest of Kanosh, and listed it at 84,408.8 acres with 0% containment in the search result shown. Fishlake National Forest also kept an alert page and an updated closure order page live, giving visitors the clearest official check before heading toward any road, trail or campsite connected to the district.
If your plan stays inside the Fillmore Ranger District, the answer is still no: the closure order is a hard stop, not a suggestion. The only safe move is to reroute outside the closure area and verify the current Fishlake alerts before leaving pavement.
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