Utah entered this fire season with heightened concerns about wildfire, given the record-low snowpack.

This concern has materialized as wildfires have burned across Utah with nearly 800 wildfires and a half a million acres burned so far. As of Aug. 10, Utah has experienced 830 wildfires that have burned 527,986 acres. Of these fires, 426 were human-caused, 349 were caused by lightning, and 55 have a cause yet to be determined.  

Despite a brief notch downward in fire danger in the last half of July due to monsoonal moisture, fire activity remains high at mid- to upper elevations. The potential for large wildfires is expected to continue into September within all of Utah except for the very southernmost counties.  

Many who reside in Utah live in the wildland/urban interface (WUI) — the area where people and their living spaces meet or intermix with wildland vegetation. Those living in the WUI have a shared responsibility to be ready for a wildfire, from being prepared for an evacuation to creating firewise landscaping.

Taking steps before a wildfire threatens your home and family is imperative. Consider these home ignition zones, broken into three areas, when working to protect your home.

• Immediate Zone (0 to 5 feet around the house) — Some refer to this area as the lean, clean, and green zone. It should mostly be devoid of anything combustible. Consider using stone materials instead of wood mulch, having no vegetation (unless you have an irrigated lawn), and removing piles of firewood by the house. Branches from adjacent trees should not reach into this area. This zone also includes your home. Look for open vents where embers could get into the attic and add screens to protect them. Dead needles should be removed at least annually on and around the house. Also be aware that something as simple as a doormat made of natural fibers could collect embers and catch fire.
• Intermediate Zone (5 to 30 feet from the home) — Have a well-maintained landscape that is free of weeds and brush. Break up vegetation by using walkways and gravel instead of mulch. Choose deciduous trees over conifers. A single tree and bush are acceptable, but remember, the more foliage, the higher the risk for fire. Ladder fuels, such as tall grasses, shrubs, and low-hanging branches, should be trimmed beneath trees so fire cannot get up into the canopy.
• Extended Zone (30 to 100 feet) — Keep in mind that the 30-foot spacing includes structures such as sheds and other buildings that are on your/your neighbor’s properties. You can include groupings of vegetation, but they should be thinned and not interconnected with other vegetation. Ladder fuels should be trimmed. The extended zone includes flat terrain and can be extended to 200 feet if a steep slope exists below your home. Many people do not have this much space, so you may need to coordinate with neighbors.    

While these measures will not ensure the survival of a structure, they can at least increase the probability of safety and success. The concepts of a home ignition zone will also provide for greater firefighter safety and give fire suppression resources a good chance at saving your home. 

Many local fire departments, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, and county fire wardens can conduct home assessments to help you better understand what can be done to protect your house. 

USU Extension is working with interagency partners throughout Utah to help address wildfires. USU Extension and Utah Forestry, Fire and State Lands have numerous resources and information to help reduce your wildfire risk:

• The USU Extension website, Wildfire Preparedness, includes resources and links.
• Utah Forestry, Fire and State Lands recently updated their website, Utah Living with Fire. It focuses on:

1. Preparing your family
2. Preparing your home
3. Preparing your property

USU Extension offers the booklet, Firewise Landscaping in Utah, as well as a website about post-fire recovery.

We all need to do our part to develop fire-adapted communities when living in the WUI. It is important to take time now to assess your home and property. 

J. Bradley Washa is a Utah State University Extension assistant professor of wildland fire science. He can be contacted at Brad.Washa@usu.edu

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Many people are wondering what impact this winter’s lackluster snowpack will have on the upcoming wildland fire season.

As we approach the end of March, snowpack is at record-low levels across the state. Utah has also experienced the warmest winter on record, and although precipitation overall is near average, most of it fell as rain.

While higher elevations remain snow-covered, mid-level elevations have only a light dusting of snow. At this time of year, there should be feet. 

Some have compared this winter to that of 1976-77, when many ski resorts began investing in snowmaking. Although that year brought an extreme snow drought across the West, it is hard to make a good comparison because this winter has been unusually warm and rainy.

While it is still early to predict wildfire season, in a normal year, we would expect to see more snowstorms before the end of winter. But even if we get several storms, on the current trajectory, it likely won’t fix the problem.

There are several things to consider regarding wildfire season:

• On lower-elevation rangelands, there was limited snow to compact last year’s growth. Significant rains fell in October and into the winter, bringing higher soil moisture. Much will depend on whether moisture persists through the growing season to support the growth of finer fuels like grasses. Of concern is the development of the cheatgrass crop, an invasive species that burns easily, especially once it dries out early in the summer.  
• In areas where grasslands transition to brush, and pinyon-juniper woodlands extend up into the timber, fire season could start earlier than usual, particularly in the higher elevations of southern Utah.
• In forested areas at higher elevations, the lack of snow could be the big driver. Heavier fuels, such as downed logs and forest vegetation, could dry earlier as snow melts sooner, potentially lengthening and intensifying the fire season. Thus, instead of the fire season becoming active in July, it could begin in June. The Great Basin Coordination Center’s Predictive Services Fire Potential Outlook has identified “above normal” for significant wildland fire potential in parts of southern Utah as we head into June.  

However, there are many variables, as we have seen in past years in Utah: 

• We have had years with good snowpack, but as we approached summer, there were record-setting high temperatures in May and June, causing deep snowpack to melt early. Then, a lightning burst with thunderstorms crossed the state, causing wildfires to erupt.
• We have also had dry winters where it looked like there was potential for an active fire season, but then back-to-back rainstorms arrived across the state from May into early summer, and we ended up with a relatively mild fire season. 
• Monsoons can have an impact on ignitions from lightning, but the rain can also dampen fire fuels. A more robust monsoon with prolonged elevated relative humidity and widespread rains will tend to slow, if not end, wildfires. Meanwhile, an underperforming monsoon will allow the fire season to extend later into the summer and even fall. While the monsoons can have a statewide impact, southern Utah tends to be affected more. 

With warm temperatures and mild conditions across Utah, now is a good time to create a firewise landscape in your yard to increase protection before the wildfire season hits. 

USU Extension, in collaboration with KUTV 2 News and reporter Brian Schnee, developed a video to answer the question, “What can we do to protect our homes from a wildfire?”

The video includes steps property owners can take to create a firewise landscape when living in Utah’s wildland/urban interface, where homes are built into the forests and rangelands.  

Because we have already seen human-caused wildfires in Utah this spring, which will likely continue until vegetation greens up, everyone needs to be involved in prevention. When visiting, working, or living in the wildland, we all have a shared responsibility to prevent wildfires. Visit the SmokeyBear.com website for prevention tips and information.

Bradley Washa is a Utah State University Extension assistant professor of wildland fire science. He can be reached at Brad.Washa@usu.edu

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 USU Extension, in collaboration with KUTV 2 News and reporter Brian Schnee, recently developed a video to answer the question, “What can one do to protect their home from a wildfire?” 

The video includes steps property owners can take when living in Utah’s Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI), where homes are built into the forests and rangelands. It is intended to spearhead thought and provide resources for those living in the WUI. 

While Utah will probably not see the urban fires witnessed in the Los Angeles area, the recent Forsyth Fire that burned 13 homes in Pine Valley is evidence that we can see losses from wildfires in Utah. Those who live in the Wildland/Urban Interface have a shared responsibility with those around them to learn how to live within wildland fire zones. 

Consider the home ignition zones, broken into three areas, when working to protect your home from a wildfire:

• Immediate Zone (0 to 5 feet around the house) — Some refer to this area as the lean, clean and green zone. It should mostly be devoid of anything combustible. Consider using stone materials instead of wood mulch, no vegetation (unless you have an irrigated lawn), and removing piles of firewood by the house. Branches from adjacent trees should not reach into this area. This zone also includes your home. Look for open vents where embers could get into the attic and add screens to protect them. Dead needles should be removed at least annually on and around the house. Also be aware that something as simple as a door mat made of natural fibers could collect embers and catch fire.
• Intermediate Zone (5 to 30 feet from the home) — Have a well-maintained and green landscape free of weeds and brush. Break up vegetation by using walkways and gravel instead of mulch. Choose deciduous trees over conifers. A single tree and bush are acceptable, but remember, the more foliage, the higher the risk for fire. Ladder fuels such as tall grasses, shrubs, and low-hanging branches should be trimmed beneath trees so fire can’t go up into the canopy of the trees.
• Extended Zone (30 to 100 feet) — Keep in mind the 30-foot spacing includes structures such as sheds and other buildings that are on your/your neighbor’s properties. You can include groupings of vegetation, but they should be thinned and not interconnected with other vegetation. Ladder fuels should be trimmed. The extended zone includes flat terrain and can be extended to 200 feet if a steep slope exists below your home. Many people do not have this much space, but if you do, it is important to cooperate and coordinate with your neighbors.      

From individual homes to urban configurations, structure loss continues to happen in the western United States, worldwide and in Utah. While these measures will not ensure the survival of a structure, they at least give you a greater probability of success. The concepts of a home ignition zone will also provide for greater firefighter safety and give fire suppression resources a good chance at saving your home. 

Many local fire departments, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, and county fire wardens can conduct home assessments to help you better understand what can be done to protect your house. There are numerous sources of information about reducing your risk of wildland fire. 

The National Interagency Fire Center offers resources to help protect your home and plan for wildfire: nifc.gov/fire-information/fire-prevention-education-mitigation/wildfire-mitigation/home

The National Fire Protection Association has resources, including their Firewise information and How to Prepare Your Home for Wildfires: nfpa.org/Education-and-Research/Wildfire/Firewise-USA#preparing-homes-for-wildfire

Utah State University offers the booklet, Firewise Landscaping in Utah: extension.usu.edu/forestry/files/resources/firewise-landscaping-updated-2018.pdf

We all need to do our part to develop fire-adapted communities when living in the WUI, or where the “eves meet the leaves.” 

J. Bradley Washa is a Utah State University Extension assistant professor of wildland fire science. He can be contacted at Brad.Washa@usu.edu

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May is National Wildfire Awareness Month, a time to help raise awareness about the dangers of wildfires and encourage people to take measures to protect themselves, their homes, and their communities. 

Wildfires have recently made headlines, and some researchers question whether active wildfire management practices — such as forest thinning — may cause more harm than good. At the same time, data indicate some Utah communities may be at higher risk than previously believed. A new study ranks Utah as the fourth highest in the nation.

Understanding historic and natural fire regimes is important when considering management options. A Utah State University study found patchy or sparsely distributed vegetation, commonly found in Utah, can significantly impact when and how often wildland fires burned in an area. Additionally, previous land practices, such as grazing, mining, logging, farming, and fire exclusion, can influence today’s landscape and the possibility of fire. 

Consider these examples of how wildland fire has historically occurred in Utah:

• Ponderosa pine is adapted to frequent fires, which promotes larger trees with thick bark. Under natural fire regimes, smaller-diameter trees are often killed by fire and result in open stands that may allow higher winds and greater solar radiation that dry out the forest floor. Although with smaller trees removed, the risk of fire changing from a surface fire to a running crown fire is reduced. Once fire moves into the treetops, controlling it is challenging, often resulting in all trees being killed. 

• Mixed conifer stands occur at mid-to-higher elevations throughout Utah with species such as white and subalpine fir. In recent years, these fir stands have seen an increase in dead and dying trees caused by insects and disease along with stress from climate change. The forests have experienced moderate-to-high-severity fires, including stand-destroying crown fires. Allowing these natural processes to occur is typically not desirable, especially when homes and other structures could be threatened in the wildland/urban interface (WUI), where the leaves meet the eaves. 

• Thinning vegetation near areas of WUI allows for an offensive rather than a defensive approach by firefighters. A monitoring application that collects data that documents the effectiveness of fuel treatments on wildfire behavior was reviewed from 2017 to 2024. The data from federal lands found 786 such intersections where fire burned into or started within a fuel treatment with 850,528 acres burned in wildfires. These interactions resulted in fewer acres burned, a reduction in damage caused by the wildfire, and a safer environment for firefighters to work. In 2024, 115 intersections were recorded in Utah with 91% of the treatments reporting a change in fire behavior and another 93% helping control the wildfires.

In a 2025 study by Headwaters Economics, an analysis of wildfire risk to communities studied recent urban fires caused by wind-driven embers from nearby wildfires that ignited homes, spreading fire rapidly to neighboring homes. These fires may start as wildfires but, upon entering communities, buildings become the source of fuel with building-to-building transmission, causing widespread destruction. The study listed 57 communities in Utah that face two of the biggest wildfire dangers: a high chance of a fire starting and a strong risk of losing homes — even when firefighting resources are available.

• The study identified the need for community leaders and fire personnel to weigh local risk factors, including wind conditions, ignition sources and locations, fuel moisture, firefighting resources, housing arrangement, and building design and construction.

• In addition, rapid housing development occurring in areas with flammable vegetation contributes to risk. The study calls for a shift in local, state, and federal approaches to wildfire management — moving beyond fire suppression and vegetation management. To combat this, the construction of wildfire-resistant homes, neighborhoods, and communities must be prioritized.

Utahns live in and around fire-dependent ecosystems with a historic occurrence of wildfires. The fire regimes of Utah are not the same as those in Australia, California, or elsewhere in the West, but we can learn from their experiences. 

As we enter the wildfire season in Utah, now is the time to prepare to protect your home. Preparing Homes for Wildfire and the USU Extension Firewise Landscaping publication have tips you can implement on your property. 

The National Interagency Fire Center also offers resources, and for a deeper dive into the topic, see Millions of Americans believe they’re safe from wildfires in their cities.

J. Bradley Washa is a Utah State University Extension assistant professor of wildland fire science and a career firefighters. He can be reached at brad.washa@usu.edu or 435-729-0040.

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As we see the devastation in the Los Angeles Basin, many wonder if Utah could experience a similar wildfire event. My experiences as a wildland firefighter and work with Utah State University Extension could provide a few insights.

In June 2012, I was assigned to the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado. The fire started from an abandoned campfire and moved from the forest into the wildland/urban interface, where homes are built into the forests and rangelands.

At the time, the fire became the most destructive in Colorado history, burning 346 homes and killing two civilians. Then, in 2021, my home and many others in Salt Lake and Summit counties were evacuated due to the Parley’s Canyon Fire near Park City.

After the Waldo Canyon Fire, I examined my home and its surroundings and made some adjustments. My home is on a flat, northern area surrounded by green grass, where vegetation is less likely to burn. Following wildfire mitigation standards, I did not plant any trees or shrubs within 30 feet of my home, and I used river rock instead of wood chips next to the base of the house.

Before I reported to assist in fighting the Parleys Canyon Fire, I looked at my home again to determine if my mitigation efforts would help save it from wildfire. My biggest concern was the possibility of embers flying into wood chips. Though they were away from my house, they were near a wooden fence connected to the house. I also had a small pile of firewood on my patio.

Before evacuating, I removed the fence connecting to the house, opened the gate, and positioned a garden hose in the front yard. I also moved the firewood away from the house. Many elements came together for a successful suppression outcome, and no homes were burned in the Parleys Canyon Fire.

Parallels between California and Utah:

• Utah and California continue to see development in the wildland/urban interface. Along the Wasatch Front, homes continue to be built further up into the foothills and benches and throughout Utah. As the population increases, we see development farther away from communities in areas at a higher risk of wildfires.
• Insurance companies have dramatically increased rates or dropped homeowner insurance in California because of wildfire losses. This is also happening throughout the West, including in Utah. While insurance companies have a role in protecting homeowners from losses, they are also a business and need to have a positive overall return on their investment to remain viable.
• Utah has experienced a number of recent wildfires with structural losses. In 2017, the Brian Head Fire in central Utah destroyed 13 homes, costing about $34 million to fight. A year later, the Dollar Ridge Fire in Wasatch and Duchesne counties destroyed or damaged 80 homes and nearly 400 trailers, sheds and vehicles, which was Utah’s most destructive wildfire in terms of structure loss. Last summer, the Sandhurst Fire started on Ensign Peak, just above the Utah State Capitol. While no structures were lost, the fire caused evacuations and demonstrated that Salt Lake City is at risk of wildfire.

Differences between California and Utah:

• Utah wildland fire response organizations are capable and well-equipped. Compared to federal, state, county and local fire management agencies and departments, California likely has the largest wildfire response organization in the world. But even so, we saw that suppression alone is not the solution to reducing losses.
• California’s Santa Ana winds are powerful and typically occur under warm and dry conditions. Much of California’s coastal areas are Mediterranean ecosystems where wet winters promote vegetation growth that dries out under hot and dry summers. While Utah’s Wasatch Front experiences strong east winds, they often follow cool, wet frontal passages. But the Wasatch Front encounters downslope canyon winds from nighttime into the early morning hours. The 2017 Uintah Fire was an example of these diurnal winds, burning three homes as the fire ran parallel to I-84 and riparian areas along the Weber River.
• California has a much greater population and areas with higher densities, and wildfires have a history of becoming urban conflagrations. Wildfires often leave the wildlands and spread from house to house. In some urban firestorms, vegetation is left unburned, but the homes are lost to fire.

What we can do:

We can learn from Greg Chasen, a Santa Monica-based architect who designed a house that survived the Palisades Fire when all the neighboring homes burned. He shared with KTLA TV in Los Angeles features of the house that contributed to its survival. He said there was no vegetation except for planters, a fire-resistant roof and siding, and a brick-and-mortar retaining wall. There were also no vents or eaves, and the house had tempered glass windows with a solid concrete perimeter.

When weather, topography and fuels align, wildfires will behave on their own terms, no matter how many engines, crews or aircraft are available or how ample the water supply is. Those who live in the wildland/urban interface have a shared responsibility with those around them to learn to live within the wildland fire zones.

This extends from developers using hazard mitigation methods in laying out a neighborhood with sufficient water supplies to homeowners implementing firewise home and defensible space measures. There is also the continued use of prescribed fire and vegetation treatments in the wildlands, and supporting the suppression response to wildfire.

While Utah would likely not experience the level of devastation seen in California, there is much to be learned from these firestorms. For additional information on what you can do now to help protect your home from a wildfire, see Preparing Homes for Wildfire and the USU Extension Firewise Landscaping publication.

Bradley Washa is an assistant professor of wildland fire science at Utah State University Extension. He served for over three decades as a wildland firefighter, as well.

The post Lessons for Utah from the LA fires appeared first on Park Record.

As many parts of Utah transition from an extended fall wildfire season to winter weather, some may wonder why pile burning is becoming more common around the state. Consider this information

Most Utah ecosystems are defined as fire-dependent. Without natural and human-originated burning, these forest and rangeland systems are out of balance with nature. Wildland fires have not occurred for up to 150 years in many areas around Utah, resulting in a buildup of fuels. Thus, altering natural fire regimes from their historical ranges is only complicated by invasive species. When wildfires occur today in areas that have not had fire, they are more severe, and more acres are burned. One way to mimic wildland fire is to thin forest and brush vegetation, pile the cut material, and burn the piles. The increase in seeing more pile burning is because of the increased wildfire risk and associated hazards. Luckily, funding opportunities have increased to address this concern.

Piling and burning can be costly, so areas of high priority must be the focus. Pile burning can be cost-effective compared to other treatment methods, such as removing fuels and/or chipping. Pile burning often occurs in the wildland/urban interface, where people have built homes in forests or the wildlands, where “the leaves meet the eaves.” Pile burning also occurs along many road systems, provides safer ingress and egress during a wildfire, and helps with wildfire management. Pile burning and its associated treatments may be a final phase or an initial treatment, followed by later broadcast or understory burning. While this type of pile burning is common throughout the West and has occurred for years, it is relatively new in parts of Utah.  

Pile burning and other fuel treatments are not without controversy because of wildland fire misinformation from personal opinions portrayed as science, internet sites that support varying causes, or comparisons to fire regimes in other parts of the world. 

One concern about pile burning is the smoke. Another concern is that some feel we should not manage our wildlands at all. Many steps are taken to minimize smoke. Piles allow for more complete combustion, as most of the burning occurs in the flaming phase and thus lowers emission rates. Work occurs with the Utah Division of Air Quality to meet regulatory requirements, such as when the lifting and dispersion of smoke will be optimal. In addition, pile burning typically occurs earlier in the day, so the piles will burn down before the air stabilizes in the evening.

Although it might sound contradictory, one of the reasons for prescribed fire is to reduce the overall amount of smoke in the atmosphere. The smoke produced from wildfire can be two to 18 times greater than that of a prescribed fire. With wildfire, there is no control over the production and transport of emissions, and fewer strategies are available to minimize smoke. While these short-term exposures from prescribed burning can be inconvenient and irritating, the long-term exposure from wildfire smoke is more concerning, as seen this summer when smoke from wildfires as far away as Canada impacted Utah.

Understanding and managing wildland fire based on scientific principles in a holistic approach is essential in understanding ecosystem dynamics. As the need is realized and opportunities increase, the pace and scale of fuel treatments will expand, addressing our forest health concerns and threats from wildfire.

Pile burning throughout Utah is planned for the fall as conditions allow with snow on the ground or enough moisture to limit any fire spread from the pile. It is conducted by federal, state, and local agencies, homeowner associations, private landowners, and companies specializing in forestry and wildland fire management. Various state and local rules may apply. Contact your local county fire warden or fire department for specifics on pile burning in your area.

Through pile burning, we can effectively address the three parts of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy: 1) Developing fire-wise communities, 2) Creating fire-resilientlandscapes, and 3) Providing a safe and effective wildfire suppression response. As communities conduct fuel management and burn piles, they support the fire-wise model. Mimicking a wildfire by thinning, piling, and burning helps ensure that when a wildfireburns through the area, the residual trees will have a better chance of surviving a wildfire and minimizing other disturbances to the landscape, such as erosion.

J. Bradley Washa is Utah State University Extension assistant professor, wildland fire science, and chair, Utah Prescribed Fire Council. He can be reached at  Brad.Washa@usu.edu

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