This summer, Utah burned as hundreds of wildfires scorched the state. Now, it’s drowning.
Severe storms, starting on Aug. 29, tore through southern Utah, turning neighborhoods and towns into arenas of crisis, but experts say the intense flooding won’t fix the intense drought.
Did summer wildfires worsen current floods?
This summer’s wildfire season is the worst on record — comprising 843 individual fires burning more than a million acres of land. Now, ecologists are worried its effects will follow Utahns into monsoon season.
In regions like Southern Utah, recent excessive flooding and debris flows are linked directly to the fires, said Michael Barber, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Utah.
“Whenever you have a fire of that magnitude down there you’re going to see a lot of disturbance,” he said.
The massive loss of canopy and vegetation is a major factor.
Canopy stops the rain “from hitting the ground as hard,” Barber said, explaining that the vegetation slows down the speed of the water. Without the cover, rain hits the ground with more intensity and flows downhill into towns and neighborhoods quickly.
Barber also mentioned hydrophobicity — a chemical change within burn scars.
High-intensity, extremely hot fires alter the chemical makeup of the soil. When rainwater lands on burn scars, “it just runs off to this nearby stream, then that’s a lot faster,” he explained.
In a study published earlier this year, researchers comparing post-fire water runoff to pre-fire records revealed that 75% of post-fire peak flood magnitudes are at least two times greater than they would have been without a fire, with some extreme cases showing runoff peaks up to 39 times greater.
Barber pointed to Beaver County as an example.
Earlier this summer, Beaver County was filled with smoke and ash. It was home to the historic Cottonwood fire, which grew to almost 100,000 acres and destroyed over 150 structures.
By late July, intense rains left over 200 homes affected, roads damaged and other city infrastructure fractured. Governor Cox issued a state of emergency in the county within the week.
As floods grow more intense in neighboring counties, Barber said, “Watersheds aren’t going to recover immediately. In many cases, it may take years and a lot of effort from a lot of people to truly restore the watershed back to its original function.”
How will floods affect Utah’s drought?
The Division of Water Resources released an update on Aug. 27 detailing the state of Utah’s current drought considering recent floods — and it seems so far there isn’t any change.
“While recent monsoon rains have reduced demand on local supply and storage in some areas, it will not be enough to pull Utah out of the drought,” the statement read. “Reservoirs and lakes will continue to decline until October, when irrigation season ends.”
The division released updated numbers of the current situation:
Utah still faces statewide reservoir storage at a low 52% and dropping fast, as 100% of the state is in some form of drought — whether mild or intense.
“Our reservoirs, lakes and streams are really struggling this year,” said Joel Williams, director at the Division of Water Resources. “Utahns must continue efforts to protect our water supply, as every drop saved today adds to our collective resilience.”
What are the best practices for floods?
Tyson Huntington, Emery County Sheriff — a county suffering intense flooding and rains — advised citizens to reach out to their town to request sandbags.
“Please do what you can to protect your home and property,” he said.
Beyond local assistance, Huntington advised residents to “keep an eye on the weather” and to “avoid flooded areas,” allowing first responders to go about their work more easily.
The Division of Water Resources explained that while rains provide relief, they also bring unpredictable weather conditions.
“It is important to stay informed and prepared for potential risks such as flash flooding,” the division stated — advising Utahns to visit beready.utah.gov for resources and tips on staying safe amid looming rains and floods.