2020 Utah wildfires

Last updated

2020 Utah wildfires
East Fork fire in Ashley National Forest.jpg
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  

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]

Contents

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
Saddle Wasatch 683May 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 Junction Washington 786May 18May 19Caused by vehicle dragging chains, 3 structures destroyed. [4] [16]
Tabby Canyon Tooele 13,378.1May 30June 2Caused by exploding target. Merged with North Stansbury Fire on June 1 at 6,848.8 acres. [4] [17]
North Stansbury (Tabby Canyon) Tooele 5,336.9June 1June 2Caused by heavy equipment use. Merged with Tabby Canyon Fire, lost its name. [4] [18]
Bar H Box Elder 1,352June 3June 4Caused by lightning. [4] [19]
Matlin Box Elder 6,292June 3June 4Caused by lightning. [4] [19]
Elberta Utah 1,977June 5June 8Human-caused. [4] [20]
Promontory Weber 1,000June 6June 8Caused by lightning. [4] [21] [22]
Lucin Box Elder 780June 12June 12Human-caused, partially burned a historic trestle from the Transcontinental Railroad Grade. [4] [23]
Big Springs Tooele 2,912June 14June 16Human-caused, 11 structures destroyed. [4] [24] [25]
Rock Path Millard, Beaver 20,941June 25July 1Caused by lightning. Merged with Antelope Fire on June 27 at 6,000+ acres. [4] [26] [27]
Antelope (Rock Path) Millard, Beaver 3,000+June 25July 1Caused by lightning. Merged with Rock Path Fire, lost its name. [4] [26] [28]
Canal Millard, Juab 78,065June 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 Pass Kane 1,588June 26July 2Caused by lightning. Started north of the Utah-Arizona border above the Mangum Fire within relatively close proximity. [4] [31] [32]
Knolls Utah 12,979June 28July 3Human-caused. 3,100+ homes evacuated in Saratoga Springs, an estimated 13,000+ people. 1 home destroyed, 12 damaged. [4] [33] [34]
Lund Iron 837July 4July 4Human-caused, 1 structure and 2 cars destroyed. [4] [35]
Big Summit Iron, Lincoln 8,461July 13July 21Started near Panaca, Nevada, and crossed into Utah on July 14. Evacuations in Hamlin Valley, destroyed 1 structure. [4] [36] [37]
Veyo West Washington 2,618July 13July 23Human-caused, 7 structures destroyed. [4] [38]
Turkey Farm Road Washington 11,993July 13July 19Caused by fireworks, 1 structure destroyed. [4] [39]
Howell Peak Millard 1,885July 19August 6 [4]
Cottonwood Trail Washington 1,631July 19July 21Caused by a blown tire. [4] [40]
Dennis Hill Box Elder 2,658July 20July 26Human-caused. [4]
Pine Hollow Kane, Coconino 11,405July 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]
Hollow Sanpete, Utah 1,416July 31August 3Human-caused, destroyed 2 structures. [4] [43]
Richard Mountain Daggett, Sweetwater 7,633August 3August 11Started in Wyoming, and crossed into Utah on the same day. [4] [44] [45] [46]
East Fork Duchesne 89,765August 21November 5Caused by lightning. Merged with the Phinney Lake fire at 10,040 acres. It destroyed 11 structures. [4] [6] [47]
Greenville Beaver 1,103August 22August 23Caused by lightning. [4]
Gray Hill Millard 6,845August 23August 24Caused by lightning. [4]
Center Creek Trail Duchesne 1,274August 25October 13Caused by lightning. [4] [48]
Phinney Lake (East Fork) Duchesne 4,469August 30November 5Caused by lightning. Started north of the East Fork fire and merged with it on September 7, losing its name. [4] [47]
William Utah, Juab 5,832September 6November 9Caused by target shooting. Started in Utah County, and spread south into Juab County. [4] [49]
White Sage Tooele 6,000September 18September 21Human-caused, started in the Dugway Proving Ground. [4]
Veyo Road Washington 2,262September 27September 30Human-caused. [4]
Range Utah 3,496October 17November 11Caused by police target shooting. [4] [50]
Fire Canyon Summit 1,670October 18October 21Human-caused. [4]
Hag Boundry Box Elder 2,727October 29October 29Started in the Utah Test and Training Range's northern segment near the Great Salt Lake. [4] [51]
Snow Canyon Washington 1,000November 6November 7Human-caused. [4] [52]
As of June 3, 2023 (UTC)

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

See also

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References

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    *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.
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