It's everyone's responsibility to help stop the spark

SALT LAKE CITY — Even though Utah has all the ingredients in place for a destructive wildfire season, what ultimately happens really depends on the choices we all make.

Utah is a beautiful state with towering mountains and incredible vistas, but due to its dry climate and abundance of vegetation, it is vulnerable to wildfires.

Each year, Utah experiences an average of more than 1,000 new wildfires, with tens of thousands of acres burned. It may come as a surprise that the vast majority of wildfires in the Beehive State are human caused.

The majority of wildfires in Utah are human caused, according to Utah Fire Info. (KSLTV)

In recent years, according to Utah Fire Info, 90% of wildfires in Utah have been caused by human action.

The Utah Fire Info website is a collaborative effort between local, state and federal agencies to help identify and document what is happening in our state related to fire.

Everyone plays a role

Kayli Guild with the Utah State Division of Forestry, Fire and Lands said all residents play a role in being vigilant for fires.

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“It is everyone’s responsibility to use common sense when dealing with any type of recreation that may involve fire,” Guild said.

Although Guild says the number of human-caused fires has decreased in recent years, there is still a long way to go.

“Regarding the sense of fire, since we launched in 2021,” Guild said. “We’ve seen a decrease in human-caused housing starts, but we’re still not at the point where we’d like to be.”

(KSLTV)

Objects such as tow chains dragging on an open road, a ricochet or fireworks can start a wildfire.

“There are several other options besides making sure your vehicle is maintained,” Guild said. “We see too many fires started by flat tires or faulty brakes.”

Although the risk of wildfires will never be completely eliminated in Utah, individual actions can go a long way toward reducing potential impacts.

“So it’s everyone’s responsibility to keep Utah beautiful,” Guild said. “Let’s make sure to use our fire sense.”