2020 Utah wildfires

The 2020 Utah wildfire season was a series of prominent wildfires throughout the state of Utah, lasting from June 1 through October 30, as defined by state law.[5] Part of the 2020 Western United States wildfire season, Utah saw record-breaking numbers of human-caused fires. The largest fire of the season, the East Fork Fire, burned an area of 89,568 acres.[6] In total, the suppression costs for the fires amounted to at least $103 million (2020 USD).[4]

2020 Utah wildfires
Statistics[1][2]
Total fires1,547[3]
Total area329,732 acres
Cost>$103 million (suppression)[4]
Date(s)May 12 - November 7
Season
← 2019
2021 →
2020 Western U.S. wildfires
Multiple wildfires burning near the Pacific coast of the U.S. on September 9, 2020
Affected states
Background
Largest wildfire by state
  • Arizona - Bush (193,455 acres)
  • California - August Complex (1,032,648 acres)
  • Colorado - Cameron Peak (208,913 acres)
  • Nevada - Meadow Valley (59,265 acres)
  • New Mexico - Cub (25,950 acres)
  • Oregon - Santiam (402,274 acres)
  • Utah - East Fork (89,765 acres)
  • Washington - Pearl Hill (223,730 acres)

Of the 1,547[3] fires in Utah during 2020, 1,202 (78%) were human-caused, surpassing 2015's record of 937. These fires accounted for nearly 100,000 of the 329,732 total acres burned during this season.[7] The significant rise in human-caused fires was attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, as it forced recreation outside at higher rates.[8]

Background

On May 27, Utah observed 237 wildfires (of which 95% were human-caused); a near fourfold increase compared to the previous season's 67 wildfires recorded at that same date.[9] Throughout the early season, record-breaking numbers of fires (especially human-caused) exceeded previous season equivalents.[10] This, coupled with an abnormally hot and dry spring[11][12] led fire officials, meteorologists, and hydrologists to believe that the season would be unusually active.[9][13]

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or produced significant structural damage or casualties.

NameCountyAcresStart dateContainment dateNotesRef
SaddleWasatch683May 12May 22A juvenile was taken into custody on alleged connection to the Saddle Fire, and 3 other fires in the local area.[4][14][15]
Anderson JunctionWashington786May 18May 19Caused by vehicle dragging chains, 3 structures destroyed.[4][16]
Tabby CanyonTooele13,378.1May 30June 2Caused by exploding target. Merged with North Stansbury Fire on June 1 at 6,848.8 acres.[4][17]
North Stansbury (Tabby Canyon)Tooele5,336.9June 1June 2Caused by heavy equipment use. Merged with Tabby Canyon Fire, lost its name.[4][18]
Bar HBox Elder1,352June 3June 4Caused by lightning.[4][19]
MatlinBox Elder6,292June 3June 4Caused by lightning.[4][19]
ElbertaUtah1,977June 5June 8Human-caused.[4][20]
PromontoryWeber1,000June 6June 8Caused by lightning.[4][21][22]
LucinBox Elder780June 12June 12Human-caused, partially burned a historic trestle from the Transcontinental Railroad Grade.[4][23]
Big SpringsTooele2,912June 14June 16Human-caused, 11 structures destroyed.[4][24][25]
Rock PathMillard, Beaver20,941June 25July 1Caused by lightning. Merged with Antelope Fire on June 27 at 6,000+ acres.[4][26][27]
Antelope (Rock Path)Millard, Beaver3,000+June 25July 1Caused by lightning. Merged with Rock Path Fire, lost its name.[4][26][28]
CanalMillard, Juab78,065June 27July 13Caused by lightning. 100% contained on June 27 at 450 acres, escaped containment on June 28 due to strong winds. Destroyed 34 structures.[4][29][30]
Wire PassKane1,588June 26July 2Caused by lightning. Started north of the Utah-Arizona border above the Mangum Fire within relatively close proximity.[4][31][32]
KnollsUtah12,979June 28July 3Human-caused. 3,100+ homes evacuated in Saratoga Springs, an estimated 13,000+ people. 1 home destroyed, 12 damaged.[4][33][34]
LundIron837July 4July 4Human-caused, 1 structure and 2 cars destroyed.[4][35]
Big SummitIron, Lincoln8,461July 13July 21Started near Panaca, Nevada, and crossed into Utah on July 14. Evacuations in Hamlin Valley, destroyed 1 structure.[4][36][37]
Veyo WestWashington2,618July 13July 23Human-caused, 7 structures destroyed.[4][38]
Turkey Farm RoadWashington11,993July 13July 19Caused by fireworks, 1 structure destroyed.[4][39]
Howell PeakMillard1,885July 19August 6[4]
Cottonwood TrailWashington1,631July 19July 21Caused by a blown tire.[4][40]
Dennis HillBox Elder2,658July 20July 26Human-caused.[4]
Pine HollowKane, Coconino11,405July 29August 5Caused by lightning one mile south of the Utah-Arizona border, and crossed into Utah. It entered the perimeter of the Wire Pass fire that burned a month prior.[4][41][42]
HollowSanpete, Utah1,416July 31August 3Human-caused, destroyed 2 structures.[4][43]
Richard MountainDaggett, Sweetwater7,633August 3August 11Started in Wyoming, and crossed into Utah on the same day.[4][44][45][46]
East ForkDuchesne89,765August 21November 5Caused by lightning. Merged with the Phinney Lake fire at 10,040 acres. It destroyed 11 structures.[4][6][47]
GreenvilleBeaver1,103August 22August 23Caused by lightning.[4]
Gray HillMillard6,845August 23August 24Caused by lightning.[4]
Center Creek TrailDuchesne1,274August 25October 13Caused by lightning.[4][48]
Phinney Lake (East Fork)Duchesne4,469August 30November 5Caused by lightning. Started north of the East Fork fire and merged with it on September 7, losing its name.[4][47]
WilliamUtah, Juab5,832September 6November 9Caused by target shooting. Started in Utah County, and spread south into Juab County.[4][49]
White SageTooele6,000September 18September 21Human-caused, started in the Dugway Proving Ground.[4]
Veyo RoadWashington2,262September 27September 30Human-caused.[4]
RangeUtah3,496October 17November 11Caused by police target shooting.[4][50]
Fire CanyonSummit1,670October 18October 21Human-caused.[4]
Hag BoundryBox Elder2,727October 29October 29Started in the Utah Test and Training Range's northern segment near the Great Salt Lake.[4][51]
Snow CanyonWashington1,000November 6November 7Human-caused.[4][52]
As of August 7, 2023 (UTC)

Live fire updates: https://utahfireinfo.gov/active-wildfires

See also

References
  1. https://gacc.nifc.gov/gbcc/predictive/products/gbytd-byState.htm
    *This resource is annually updated, therefore its data doesn't represent this article's fires. For the archived PDF, see Great Basin Coordination Center Year-To-Date Report of Fires and Acres By State & Agency for 2020
  2. https://gacc.nifc.gov/sacc/predictive/intelligence/NationalYTDbyStateandAgency.pdf
    *This resource is annually updated, therefore its data doesn't represent this article's fires. For the archived PDF, see National Year-to-Date Report on Fires and Acres Burned by State and Agency for 2020.
  3. "Wildfire season recap: 2020 produced most human-caused fires on record in Utah, $60M in costs". www.ksl.com. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  4. https://gacc.nifc.gov/sacc/predictive/intelligence/NationalLargeIncidentYTDReport.pdf
    *This resource is annually updated, therefore its data doesn't represent this article's fires. For the archived PDF, see National Large Incident Year-to-Date Report for 2020.
  5. "Burn Permits and Fire Code | Utah DNR – FFSL (Forestry, Fire and State Lands)". ffsl.utah.gov. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  6. "East Fork Fire Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  7. Knox, Annie (December 10, 2020). "In Utah's 2020 wildfire season, humans sparked nearly 4 of 5 blazes". Deseret News. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  8. "The coronavirus pandemic is behind Utah's record number of human-caused wildfires, officials say". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  9. "Utah is off to a scary start for wildfire season due to a dry spring and careless campers". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  10. "Utah's Wildfire season: Why the 2020 season is off to a dangerous start". ABC4 Utah. June 24, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  11. "Dry spring concerns Utah hydrologists". KSTU. May 25, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  12. Dunphey, Kyle (May 16, 2020). "A dry spring and global pandemic has Utah's wildland firefighters bracing for an 'above normal' season". Deseret News. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  13. "Dangerous fire season expected in Utah". KSTU. May 27, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  14. Price, Virginia (May 19, 2020). "Saddle Fire – May 19, 2020". Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  15. "Officials: Saddle Fire 100% contained". ABC4 Utah. May 16, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  16. "'Anderson Junction Fire' near Toquerville is 100% contained". KSTU. May 19, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  17. Lenkowski, Hannah (June 2, 2020). "Tabby Canyon and North Stansbury Fires Update 6/01/2020". Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  18. Lenkowski, Hannah (June 3, 2020). "Tabby Canyon Fire and North Stansbury Fire Update 6/02/2020". Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  19. "4 wildfires in Box Elder County burned over 8,000 acres". ABC4 Utah. June 5, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  20. "Portion of Highway 6 closed due to fire near Goshen". ABC4 Utah. June 6, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  21. "Promontory Fire Grows To 1,000 Acres; Doppler Radar Protected". KSLTV.com. June 6, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  22. "Crews responding to a new fire near Promontory Point". ABC4 Utah. June 6, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  23. Staff, Gephardt Daily (June 13, 2020). "Lucin Fire in Box Elder County 80% contained, fire crews protect historic features". Gephardt Daily. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  24. utahfireadmin (June 14, 2020). "Big Springs Fire in Tooele County". Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  25. Staff, Gephardt Daily (June 16, 2020). "Update: Big Springs Fire, Lincoln Fire now 100% contained; Orchard Fire 50% contained". Gephardt Daily. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  26. Abel, Kevin (June 30, 2020). "Rock Path Fires Update 6/30/2020". Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  27. "Wildfire updates: Rock Path Fire 100% contained; Knolls Fire 97% contained". www.ksl.com. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  28. Lenkowski, Hannah (June 26, 2020). "Antelope and Rock Path Update 6/26/2020 (prior to merge)". Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  29. "Canal Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  30. "'Canal Fire' jumps containment lines, scorches thousands of acres (containment escape info)". KSTU. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  31. Howell, Nick (June 30, 2020). "Wire Pass Fire update for Monday, June 29". Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  32. "Kane County brush fire forces evacuation of The Wave and Buckskin trails". Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  33. Peak, Kari (July 3, 2020). "Knolls Fire Update 7/2/2020". Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  34. "Crews fully contain Knolls blaze as National Weather Service issues fire watch". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  35. "Crews battle wildfire in Iron County, 837 acres". ABC4 Utah. July 4, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  36. "Big Summit Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  37. Roberts, Alyssa (July 14, 2020). "Fire sparked in Nevada forces evacuations in Iron County". KUTV. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  38. Abel, Kevin (July 19, 2020). "Veyo West Fire – 7/18/20 (Final Release)". Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  39. Abel, Kevin (July 20, 2020). "Turkey Farm Road Fire – 7/19/20". Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  40. Abel, Kevin (July 20, 2020). "Cottonwood Trail Fire – 7/20/20". Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  41. "Campground Evacuated As Pine Hollow Fire Burns 8K Acres". KSLTV.com. July 31, 2020. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  42. "Pine Hollow Fire near Kanab grows beyond 11,000 acres, moves into previous Wire Pass Fire area". Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  43. Webb, Kaitlyn (August 4, 2020). "Hollow Fire Fact Sheet". Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  44. Peak, Kari (August 10, 2020). "Richard Mountain Fire Update 8/9/2020". Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  45. "Richard Mountain Fire Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  46. "Wildfire that started in Wyoming burns across Utah border into Dagget County, officials say". ABC4 Utah. August 4, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  47. "9.7.20 East Fork Update - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  48. "Center Creek Trail Fire Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  49. "William Fire Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  50. Locklear, McKenzie Stauffer, Michal (October 19, 2020). "Over 3,000-acre fire burning in Utah County caused by police target shooting". KUTV. Retrieved November 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  51. "Hag Boundry Fire near Grantsville, Utah - Current Incident Information and Wildfire Map | Fire, Weather & Avalanche Center". FireWeatherAvalanche.org. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  52. "Snow Canyon Fire near Ivins, Utah - Current Incident Information and Wildfire Map | Fire, Weather & Avalanche Center". FireWeatherAvalanche.org. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
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