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Tag: Utah

Utah wins Bronze Smokey for prevention

Author Hunter BasslerPosted on Categories PreventionTags , , , Leave a comment on Utah wins Bronze Smokey for prevention

Utah burned much more than usual in 2020 and, more than ever before, humans were to blame. The state had its worst year of human-caused wildfires on record that year, when 1,500 wildfires burned more than 100,000 acres of land across the state. Officials say 1,143 of those fires were caused by humans, beating the state’s previous single-year record by more than 250.

Utah wins a Bronze SmokeyUtah launched a statewide campaign called “Fire Sense” to reduce human-caused wildfires, and it was incredibly effective. The state marked a 60 percent reduction in human-caused wildfires in the two years following the start of the program. In 2023 that number has gone down even more, with only 295 of Utah’s 772 wildfires recorded as human-caused as of October 6.

A Bronze Smokey
A Bronze Smokey

The program was recently awarded a Bronze Smokey, which is a national award for statewide service, for its by-the-numbers success.

“This is a great honor for Fire Sense,” said Kayli Guild, the Fire Prevention and Communications Coordinator for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands (FFSL), after receiving the Bronze Smokey. “We launched this campaign to raise awareness surrounding the impact our behaviors as humans have on wildfire starts. Over the past two years, we have seen a drastic decrease in human-caused starts as we have seen Utahns implement Fire Sense.”

Fire Sense is basically a PSA package geared toward educating Utah’s residents about how they can help avoid starting wildfires throughout the state. All of the usual bases are covered, including telling people to put out their campfires, not drag chains, and not fire guns on hot and windy days. The execution of the project, however, seems to be what made it so effective.

“This strategy worked because Fire Sense is common sense!” according to FFSL . More details on the Fire Sense program are available from the utahfiresense.org website.

Smokey Award Levels:

Gold: This is the highest honor given to organizations or individuals for outstanding wildfire prevention service that is national in scope over at least a two-year period. A maximum of three Gold Smokey Bear awards may be given annually.

 

Silver: This is the highest honor given to organizations or individuals for outstanding wildfire prevention service that is regional (multistate) in scope over at least a two-year period. A maximum of five Silver Smokey Bear awards may be given annually.

Bronze: This is the highest honor given to organizations or individuals for outstanding wildfire prevention service that has impact within a state over at least a two-year period. A maximum of 10 Bronze Smokey Bear awards may be given annually.

 

Jacob City and Halfway Hill fires burn thousands of acres in Utah

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , ,

11:04 a.m. MDT July 11, 2022

Halfway Hill Fire 3-D map 10:34 p.m. July 10, 2022
Halfway Hill Fire 3-D map looking south at 10:34 p.m. July 10, 2022.

Two wildfires in Utah are burning in steep, rugged terrain.

The Halfway Hill Fire is in the Fishlake National Forest two miles southeast of Fillmore east of Interstate 15. The activity on the fire Sunday was more moderate than the previous two days as the wind speeds lessened. It was mapped Sunday night at 10,417 acres. Most of the heat detected by the sensors on the aircraft was on the eastern side.

Halfway Hill Fire, July 10, 2022. Utah Fire Info
Halfway Hill Fire, July 10, 2022. Utah Fire Info.

Residents of the Virginia Hills subdivision are still under an evacuation notice.

Map of the Halfway Hill Fire 10:34 p.m. July 10, 2022
Map of the Halfway Hill Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 10:34 p.m. July 10, 2022. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.

The Jacob City Fire has burned 4,094 acres 2 miles east of Stockton. When it was mapped at 10 p.m. Sunday it was very active on the northwest and southeast sides. As of Sunday evening no communities are imminently threatened, according to Utah Fire Info.

Jacob City Fire map 10:09 p.m. July 10, 2022
Map showing the location of the Jacob City Fire at 10:09 p.m. July 10, 2022.
Jacob City Fire, July 10, 2022
Jacob City Fire, July 10, 2022. Utah Fire Info
Jacob City Fire 3-D map 10:09 p.m. July 10, 2022
Jacob City Fire 3-D map looking east, 10:09 p.m. July 10, 2022

Firefighters battling two fires in central Utah

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , , 2 Comments on Firefighters battling two fires in central Utah

Halfway Hill Fire and Dry Creek Fire were reported about the same time on Friday, July 8

Map, Halfway Hill and Dry Creek Fires in central Utah
Map, Halfway Hill and Dry Creek Fires in central Utah, 3:11 a.m. MDT July 9, 2022.

Firefighters are working on two fires in Central Utah that were reported Friday 14 minutes apart, separated by 28 air miles.

The Halfway Hill Fire spread rapidly about one mile east of Interstate 15, 2 miles southeast of Fillmore. On Friday the Millard County Sheriff’s Office ordered evacuations for the Virginia Hills subdivision southeast of Fillmore. Utah Fire Information reported Saturday morning it had burned 6,644 acres since it was reported at 3:13 p.m. July 8. At 12:30 p.m. on Saturday aircraft spotted working the fire included four single engine air tankers and two large RJ85 air tankers. They were reloading with retardant at Cedar City.

The blaze started while the relative humidity was 10 percent with a 15 mph wind gusting out of the southwest at up to 30 mph. Conditions are about the same Saturday afternoon.

Halfway Hill Fire
Halfway Hill Fire — posted by Utah Fire Info July 8, 2022.

The 1,200-acre Dry Creek Fire is 10 miles west of Interstate 15, 2 miles east of Oak City.

Dry Creek Fire
Dry Creek Fire — posted by Utah Fire Info July 9, 2022.

Wildfire at Centerville, Utah prompts evacuations

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , 8 Comments on Wildfire at Centerville, Utah prompts evacuations

The police reported that fireworks is the most likely cause, but it is under investigation

Updated at 5:03 p.m. MDT July 4, 2022

Deuel Creek Fire
Helicopter drops water on the Deuel Creek Fire Monday afternoon, July 4, 2022. Image from Division A.

The Deuel Creek Fire in the foothills east of Centerville, Utah was  mapped Monday at 128 acres. Firefighting resources assigned include multiple helicopters and 7 engines for a total of 80 personnel; an additional 3 hand crews are en route.

Monday afternoon the fire was less active than it was during the night, but still has potential for growth with the strong winds and low humidity. The fire is between Deuel Creek and Parrish Creek.

12:51 p.m. MDT July 4, 2022

Deuel Creek Fire map, 3:54 a.m. MDT July 4, 2022
The red dots on the map represent heat on the Deuel Creek Fire detected by satellites as late as 3:54 a.m. MDT July 4, 2022. Looking east.

A fire that was reported around midnight Sunday night resulted in the evacuation of about 89 homes on the east side of Centerville, Utah. It started near Center Street and Firebreak Road north of Bountiful. The evacuations were later lifted.

Fire authorities estimate it has burned approximately 100 acres, mostly on a steep slope 10 miles north of Salt Lake City.

“All indications are that this fire was human caused, the most likely source being fireworks,” wrote the Centerville Police Department on Twitter at 5:50 a.m. Monday. “We will be working with fire investigators to determine the cause.”

Much of Western Utah, including the greater Salt Lake City Area, has been under a Red Flag Warning Sunday and Monday for single-digit humidity and strong winds.

A Type 3 Incident Management Team will assume command of the fire Monday morning.

Regarding the tweet below, Spencer J. Cox is the governor of Utah.

Left Fork Fire in Utah takes off again after being dormant for a month

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , 10 Comments on Left Fork Fire in Utah takes off again after being dormant for a month

An escaped prescribed fire is being investigated as the original cause

Updated at 6:51 a.m. MDT June 20, 2022

3-D map of the Left Fork Fire
Map of the Left Fork Fire looking north-northeast. The green line was the perimeter May 11, 2022. The red line was the perimeter at 9 p.m. MDT June 19, 2022; the orange areas indicate intense heat at that time.

The Left Fork fire continued to spread to the northeast Sunday night in the Dixie National Forest in Southern Utah. When it was mapped at 9 p.m. Sunday it had burned approximately 2,600 acres. At that time it was about 2 miles west of the 87 road and Bryce Canyon National Park.

Map of the Left Fork Fire
Map of the Left Fork Fire. The green line was the perimeter May 11, 2022. The red line was the perimeter at 9 p.m. MDT June 19, 2022; the orange areas indicate intense heat at that time.

 

9:50 p.m. MDT June 19, 2022

Left Fork Fire map
Left Fork Fire map, showing heat (at the arrow) detected by a satellite at 1:57 p.m. June 19, 2022.

The Left Fork Fire in Southwest Utah has taken off again after being dormant for about a month on the Dixie National Forest. It was first detected May 9. On May 10 the Forest Service said it ignited from material still burning from a prescribed fire conducted April 7, 2022.  On May 11, 12, and 13 the daily updates about the wildfire posted by the Forest Service stated it was “human caused.” The escaped fire burned 97 acres in early May.

Apparently undetected smouldering material on or under the ground, such as stumps, duff, or tree roots, must have continued burning for weeks after the prescribed fire, and later after the spread of the 97-acre wildfire was stopped. Follow up monitoring of both events either did not occur or was inadequate to detect the still burning fires. The strong winds on June 18 may have fanned it back into an active burning condition, and it spread across a fireline, or hot embers were blown outside the perimeter into receptive fuels.

Left Fork Fire, June 19, 2022
Left Fork Fire, June 19, 2022, by @april_reeve.

On June 18 the fire began spreading again pushed by strong winds. Utah Fire Information said that day it was estimated at 300 to 500 acres. Sunday afternoon, June 19, it had grown to 600 to 700 acres in rugged terrain, putting up a huge smoke plume affecting the air quality in eastern Utah and southwest Colorado.

Satellite photo of smoke from the Left Fork Fire,
Satellite photo of smoke from the Left Fork Fire, 7:16 p.m. MDT june 19, 2022. NOAA.

The original cause of the fire is still listed as “human caused.” There are dozens of ignition sources that cause wildland fires. Saying it is caused by humans only eliminates two — volcano and lightning — and both could be ruled out very quickly.

Left Fork Fire escaped prescribed fire
Firefighters construct fireline on the Left Fork Fire in Utah which was apparently caused by an escaped prescribed fire. Posted by the Dixie NF, May 12, 2022. Photo by Mervin Garcia, Engine 322.

Sunday afternoon the Left Fork Fire was spreading to the northeast and was about 2 miles west of Bryce Canyon National Park, 7 miles east of Highway 89, and 20 miles south of Panguitch; it had reached Blubber Creek drainage. It is burning between 8,000 and 9,000 feet above sea level.

The area was under a Red Flag Warning Sunday for relative humidity in the teens and 20 mph southwest winds gusting at 35 to 40 mph. The strong winds kept helicopters and fixed wing aircraft grounded, unable to assist firefighters on the ground.

The NWS spot weather for Monday calls for 70-72 degrees, 10-12 percent relative humidity, and 5 to 15 mph winds out of the west shifting to southwest. Tuesday will be about the same except the wind will be out of the southeast at 10-20 mph in the afternoon.

A Color Country Type 3 Incident Management Team will assume command of the incident Sunday evening.

The map below shows the location of the Left Fork Fire after the spread was temporarily stopped around May 11, 2022.

Left Fork Fire 3-D map, May 11, 2022
Left Fork Fire 3-D map, looking north May 11, 2022.

About a week after the first attempted suppression of the Left Fork Fire the US Forest Service announced May 20 in a press release that a “pause” was in effect for all prescribed fire operations on National Forest System lands. The reason given was “because of the current extreme wildfire risk conditions in the field…while we conduct a 90-day review of protocols, decision support tools, and practices ahead of planned operations this fall,” Forest Service Chief Randy Moore said in the statement. At the time several other prescribed fires had recently escaped in addition to the Left Fork incident.

Parley’s Canyon Fire prompts evacuations east of Salt Lake City

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , 1 Comment on Parley’s Canyon Fire prompts evacuations east of Salt Lake City

West of Summit Park

3:05 p.m. MDT August 15, 2021

Map of the Parleys Canyon Fire
Map of the Parleys Canyon Fire at 9 a.m. MDT Aug. 15, 2021. Mapped by Incident Management Team.

More accurate mapping Sunday found that the Parley’s Canyon Fire east of Salt Lake City has burned 619 acres, much lower than the earlier estimate. Firefighters reported at about 2 p.m. that the spread of the fire has been “minimal” so far on Sunday.

Parley's Canyon Fire cause

7:37 a.m. MDT August 15, 2021

map Parleys Canyon Fire
Map showing heat detected by satellites on the Parley’s Canyon Fire at 4:02 a.m. MDT Aug 15, 2021.

After sunset on Saturday the spread of the Parley’s Canyon Fire slowed after an aggressive attack by firefighters from the air and on the ground. Sunday morning fire authorities said night crews reported there was little overnight growth. There is no official accurate mapping yet but they estimate it has burned 1,500 acres.

The fire is east of Salt Lake City on the south side of Interstate 80, 10 miles east of I-215 between Lambs Canyon Road and Summit Park. It is approximately 4 miles west of Kimball Junction and 9 miles northwest of Park City.

The Northern Utah Type 3 Incident Management Team has assumed command of the 120 personnel on scene. Approximately 2,000 structures are threatened.

The weather forecast for the fire area Sunday could be concerning for firefighters. The elevation in the fire area ranges from 6,500 to over 8,000 feet. For the higher slopes the prediction is for 10 mph winds out of the west beginning at 9 a.m. increasing after noon to 14 mph from the northwest. The relative humidity will be around 20 percent with the temperature in the high 70’s at 8,000 feet. There will be 50 percent cloud cover decreasing to 10 percent after 3 p.m. After sunset the wind will slow to 7 mph but will shift to come out of the southeast after 11 p.m.

3-D map Parleys Canyon Fire
3-D map looking east, showing heat detected by satellites on the Parley’s Canyon Fire at 4:02 a.m. MDT Aug 15, 2021.

The video below shows a retardant drop by a single engine air tanker and one by Bomber 210, a 737 on loan from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service in Australia.

6:50 p.m. MDT August 14, 2021

Parley's Canyon Fire
Parley’s Canyon Fire. Photo by Utah Highway Patrol.

Interstate 80 at the Parley’s Canyon Fire east of Salt Lake City has reopened in both directions, but with lane restrictions.

Parley's Canyon Fire map
Map showing the location at which the Parley’s Canyon Fire started August 14, 2021.

The Parley’s Canyon Fire spread rapidly after it started Saturday at about 3 p.m. on the south side of Interstate 80, 10 miles east of I-215. The fire is between Lambs Canyon Road and Summit Park.

Parley's Canyon Fire map start location I-80
Photo by Air Attack.

The US Forest Service reported at 3:20 p.m. Saturday that I-80 was closed in both directions. At that time the aircraft responding included 2 Very Large Air Tankers, 4 Large Air Tankers, 6 Single Engine Air Tankers, helicopters, and numerous ground resources from state and federal agencies.

Utah Fire Information said at about 4:45 p.m. MDT the fire had burned an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 acres. The areas under evacuation orders included Summit Park, Pine Brook, Lambs Canyon, and Mill Creek affecting 6000-8000 homes. They said the fire was caused by a malfunctioning catalytic convertor which ejected hot particles along the highway. The photo above appears to show at least two origin locations which is consistent with that type of incident.

A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been requested, but that has to be approved first by the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group in Boise under a new policy created July 18. A Type 3 IMT was ordered earlier.

Parley's Canyon Fire satellite photo
Satellite photo showing heat and smoke on the Parley’s Canyon Fire detected by a satellite.
Parley's Canyon Fire map
The 3-D map looking east shows the origin area of the Parley’s Canyon Fire. It started on the south side of I-80 and initially spread uphill to the south.