- Gov. Spencer Cox released a report that gave suggestions for how the state can further mitigate the year-round risk of wildfire.
- Though Utah has seen a 67% reduction in human-caused wildfires over the last three years, more than half of the state's 1,000-plus fires are caused by humans.
- The report addresses many federal, state, interagency and individual ways that Utah can continue several years of success living with the threat of wildfire.
Wildfires in Utah now demand constant attention. Even with “catastrophic fires” representing a small percentage of burns in the state, fire season is now a year-round reality.
Being prepared on a statewide and personal level for when fires start is the best way to safely coexist with the reality of wildfire, according to a new report released Wednesday by Gov. Spencer Cox.
Titled “Strengthening the State’s Wildfire Preparedness,” the report is the result of an executive order the governor signed in April to study and then bolster Utah’s wildfire preparations and “improve coordination among state, local, and federal partners ahead of the 2025 fire season.”
That order formed a working group made up of a number of state agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources and the State Fire Marshall, who are responsible for firefighting.
The report shows the state has successfully reduced the number of human-caused fires in recent years, but people are still responsible for about half of the fires that start in the state.
Cox wrote on X that the report “outlines how we’re building on that success with improved coordination, faster response times, and proactive fuel reduction efforts across Utah.”
What’s the risk?
There were over 1,200 wildfires in Utah last year, burning 90,660 acres across the state. Of those fires, people caused 57%, according to the newly released report, which is significantly lower than the national average of 85% cited by the National Park Service. The vast majority of those wildfires were small — 10 acres or less — but larger burns still represent a “significant concern.”
Over the last three years, the state had a 67% reduction in human-triggered wildfires, which the governor credits to Utah’s wildfire prevention program, “Fire Sense.” The program, a collaborative effort of state and federal agencies, educates the public about the causes and danger of wildfires.
That being said, the report was clear that “despite ‘Fire Sense’ campaign successes, continued education is needed to reduce human-caused wildfires.”
Plan of action
There were several key suggestions the report made to bolster the state’s preparedness, including improving interagency coordination, greater community planning to mitigate risks, detailed contingency planning for things like evacuations, hiring and then retaining more firefighters, and providing more prevention education.
Among the challenges noted, the fact that Utah is heavily reliant on federal funding for a number of wildfire related costs — local fire departments and WUI mitigation among them — came up several times.
“Potential federal budget cuts, particularly to the U.S. Forest Service programs, jeopardize critical efforts and personnel,” the report said. The working group suggested Utah become less reliant on federal wildfire funding.
Then there is the fact that due to decades of fire suppression and drought, a vast amount of “fuel” — flammable vegetation like underbrush and grasses — have accumulated all over the state, creating excellent conditions for wildfires. Minimizing the risk this tinder poses requires expensive and specific mitigation processes called “fuel treatments.”
The report suggested that the state and local municipalities lead the charge on creating “defensible space” around their buildings. These are buffer zones where flammable materials and vegetation — fences, grasses or other shrubs — are kept a safe distance away from structures — a practice the report suggests private homeowners should also institute.
For each of 14 areas areas reviewed, there were a series of detailed recommendations that followed. Those included providing benefits for seasonal firefighters, increasing “state and partner resources for public awareness campaigns,” and advocating for a greater voice for state forestry agencies at the federal level.
With a unified commitment, the report reads, there is the potential to protect Utah’s communities, resources and vital infrastructure, even if the threat of wildfires continues to escalate as it has.
“By fostering a culture of preparedness ... Utah can build greater resilience and navigate the complex challenges of a future with more frequent and intense wildfires.”