Summit County braces for ‘Tinderbox’ fire season

The Silver King Fire burned over 17,000 acres in south-central Utah, last year. Photo: Utah Fire Info

Council backs early restrictions as fire chiefs warn dry conditions could arrive months ahead of schedule

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — The Summit County Council on Wednesday approved letters backing seasonal restrictions on personal fireworks and open burning in unincorporated areas served by the Park City Fire District and North Summit Fire District, as local fire chiefs warned the county could be heading into an unusually early and dangerous fire season. The restrictions would not apply to permitted public fireworks shows, some recreational fires that meet fire code rules, or, in North Summit’s case, commercial wildfire fuel-reduction work.

The action backs restrictions running from May 1 through Oct. 31 and comes as fire officials say dry conditions are arriving far sooner than normal. Park City Fire District Chief Peter Emery told the council he had spoken with state officials earlier in the day and was told conditions that typically arrive closer to September could hit by early June.

“This is a year where we really just need to have the word out that we need no sparks, nothing,” Emery said. “We could be looking at a bit of a tinderbox.”

Emery said Park City Fire is preparing for an “all hands on deck” season and added that Park City Municipal is expected to align with the same dates.

The warning from North Summit was similarly blunt but more rooted in staffing strain and recent call volume. North Summit Fire officials told the council their side of the county has already seen fires beginning in February, with multiple incidents in quick succession and mounting pressure on a department still working to build staffing. One official said the district responded to seven fires in three days a few weeks ago, including another fire the night before the meeting, while also handling medical calls and long response times across open land and travel corridors.

North Summit officials described the district as being in a “critical year,” with low staffing and high service demands, and said they may seek funding to help reach a target of eight to 10 personnel per shift. They also pointed to active restrictions already in place near the county line and recent fires in Colorado as signs of how quickly conditions are changing across the region.

The council approved the North Summit support letter by voice vote after a motion authorizing the council chair to sign the April 1 letter to Jamie Barnes, director of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands. The Park City Fire District item also advanced with council support following Emery’s presentation.

The move comes after a punishing winter for Utah’s snowpack. TownLift reported in February that snowpack in Summit County watersheds had dropped to record-low levels, then followed in March with state officials’ warning that Utah’s snowpack had peaked three weeks early at a record low — a setup that can leave fuels drying out sooner and fire danger rising earlier in the season.