Utah to keep firefighting resources in state as fire danger reaches peak levels
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — State fire authorities have decided that all firefighting resources will be held in Utah until further notice due to increased fire danger.
In collaboration with the Division of Natural Resources and several other organizations, Utah Fire authorities announced on Saturday, Aug. 3, that given the forecasted persistence of hot and dry conditions along with an uptick in lightning activity, Utah firefighters will be held within the state.
Officials noted that they are working to ensure Utah has enough resources to fight local fires while also helping neighboring states experiencing significant fire activity.
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The Great Basin Coordination Center has issued a Fuel and Fire Behavior Advisory ahead of the incoming storm system expected to contribute to “very active to extreme fire behavior” in Utah, lasting through Sunday, Aug. 4.
The Advisory outlined the following circumstances that are already being or will be experienced or seen statewide:
- Northwest Utah has a lot of dry, flammable vegetation right now.
- The moisture levels in live plants, such as grass and brush, are very low, making them easy to ignite.
- Both live and dead plant materials are drier than usual, with dead materials being almost completely burned away.
- Weather forecasts predict that Utah will soon experience more hot and dry weather.
Officials emphasized their concerns for firefighters and public safety at this time.
Over the past few months, Utah has seen several significant fire starts due to dry lighting. The largest has been the Silver King Fire in Marysvale, which ignited on July 5 and is currently covering over 18,000 acres of land at 88% containment.
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