SOUTH SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH — State and federal wildland firefighters gathered today in Salt Lake City to raise awareness regarding the elevated wildfire danger across Utah this year due to the ongoing drought conditions in the state.
Persistent drought conditions and poor winter snowpack across Utah have primed wildland fuels for an active summer. The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands (FFSL) is partnering with federal and local agencies to protect communities from catastrophic wildfires and eliminate human-caused ignitions.
The Great Basin Coordination Center Predictive Services is predicting a potential increase in wildfire activity in June and July. Dry conditions, coupled with an increase in “hot days” exceeding 80 degrees Fahrenheit, have accelerated fuel-drying cycles across Utah’s rangelands and high-elevation forests. Officials warn that these conditions create a volatile environment where a single spark can rapidly escalate into a destructive wildfire, threatening the state’s watersheds and the growing wildland-urban interface.
To prevent these fires before they start, officials are urging all Utahns to exercise their Fire Sense when recreating or working outdoors. Since its launch in 2021, the Fire Sense campaign has successfully reduced human-caused wildfires in Utah by 51%. Fire Sense emphasizes practical behavior changes that every Utahn can do to limit their impact while enjoying the outdoors. Securing loose trailer chains to prevent sparks, avoiding parking hot vehicles on dry vegetation, dousing campfires until they are cold to the touch, and placing recreational shooting targets away from dry grass and rocky backstops are just a few examples of steps that you can take to prevent a wildfire from starting.
As wildland fires become more complex, it is important for the state of Utah to adapt as well. This season also marks a historic milestone for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands. After almost 50 years of operating out of the Lone Peak Conservation Center at the old state prison site in Draper, Utah, fire program officials opened the new State of Utah Wildland Fire Operations Center with a hose-cutting ceremony. This new center will house the state’s wildland firefighting resources, which include two elite Hotshot crews, two initial attack hand crews, and specialized Type 4 and Type 3 engine crews. Additionally, Utah has expanded its specialized fuels reduction teams, including the Thunder Mountain Fuels Crew, which operates year-round to remove hazardous vegetation and establish critical fuel breaks in high-risk areas.
To further boost its wildfire response, FFSL has expanded its wildland firefighting capabilities by contracting three Type 1 helicopters, a Type 3 helicopter, and helitack crew. Heavy equipment is an essential part of wildland firefighting operations, and the state has invested in two bulldozers to assist ground crews in establishing containment lines during wildfires.
“Wildfire preparation is no longer a localized issue; it requires a united front across every county, state, and federal boundary,” said Brett Ostler, State Fire Management Officer. “By combining Utah’s enhanced firefighting assets with the centralized capabilities of the new U.S. Wildland Fire Service and U.S. Forest Service, we are better equipped than ever to protect our communities. However, our strongest defense remains prevention. We need every Utahn to use their Fire Sense so our crews can focus on the unavoidable starts caused by nature.”
Officials are reminding residents outside the major metropolitan markets that wildfire preparedness begins at home. Property owners are encouraged to focus on the “Home Ignition Zone” by clearing dead leaves, brush, and other flammable materials within 5 feet of structures to create a defensive space.
For current wildfire updates, restrictions, and prevention information, visit UtahFireInfo.gov and UtahFireSense.org.