Fire officials confirmed the cause of the wildfire in Jensen and have offered a fervent reminder to the public. According to the Jensen Fire Department, the Stewart Lake Fire was knocked down enough by early morning on Tuesday, September 28th, that most of the crews were sent home. It is believed that the fire was caused by equipment overheating that caught the dry vegetation to catch fire. Crews were called to assist from Uintah County Fire, Naples Fire, BLM, Vernal Fire, Dinosaur National Monument and a DNR warden. The fire was contained to 292 acres of state land but the equipment was a total loss. The Jensen Fire Department offered a reminder to the public that when there is an incident of this size that occurs, extra traffic on the road hinders responders from quickly moving to needed locations. “We understand the draw to want to see what is happening,” they shared, “but being in the vicinity where crews are working is unhelpful and can be dangerous to the public and fire crews.”
