SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Fire crews are battling a wildfire that erupted early Friday morning on Stansbury Island near the Great Salt Lake in Tooele County.

Dubbed the Tabby Three Fire, the blaze has scorched over 40 acres and is currently 50% contained, according to fire officials.

The fire is believed to have been caused by someone using steel ammunition while target shooting, an activity that is prohibited on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands under current fire restrictions.

Ashley Snipes, a public affairs specialist for the West Desert District of BLM Utah, said investigators quickly identified the cause.

“In this small area alone we are constantly responding to reports of smoke, and they are more than likely going to be human-caused,” Snipes told KUTV.

The fire ignited near a popular shooting berm and spread rapidly up the mountain. Both ground and air crews from BLM, Tooele County Fire, and the Tooele Valley Air Center responded swiftly to the scene.

“Thankfully, they are so close to this that their response time is quick, so they were able to get out here and start dropping retardant,” Snipes added.

This marks the third wildfire in the area, following previous blazes identified as "Tabby" and "Tabby Two." BLM officials are urging the public to obey fire restrictions, especially during the dry summer months and July 4th celebrations.

“As people are celebrating the 4th of July, we want everybody to know that year-round, fireworks are illegal on BLM-managed public lands,” Snipes emphasized.

Crews are expected to remain on site for several more hours to fully contain the fire and prevent flare-ups. No injuries have been reported, and no structures are currently threatened.

Authorities have not identified any person of interest in connection with the fire at this time.

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