| High Fire Danger Has Forest Officials Worried |
Monday, April 22, 2002 |
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Last week's wildfires in central and southern Utah confirmed what veteran firefighters already knew -- after yet another dry winter, a lot of vegetation out there is ready to burn. "We had some pretty extreme fire behavior in that fire Monday in Parowan Canyon," said Vi Hillman, U.S. Bureau of Land Management fire information officer, reciting how quickly the blaze began and grew. "The conditions are dry. Not only the appearance on the outside, but inside the different fuels -- sagebrush, cheat grass, pinyon and juniper [trees], all that -- the moisture level is very low." Jim Springer, spokesman for Utah's forestry division, agreed: "This is the earliest we've seen fires of this intensity. We're worried." Consequently, acting state forester Karl Kappe declared a closed fire season last Monday in five southern Utah counties -- Beaver, Garfield, Washington, Iron and Kane. Permits will be needed there to do any open burning before Oct. 31. "The closed fire season usually begins statewide on June 1, but conditions in these areas clearly call for this action now," said Kappe. "Fire conditions are worsening daily." |