As we see the devastation in the Los Angeles Basin, many wonder if Utah could experience a similar wildfire event. My experiences as a wildland firefighter and work with Utah State University Extension could provide a few insights.
My Discoveries
In June of 2012, I was assigned to the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado. The fire started from an abandoned campfire and moved from the forest into the wildland/urban interface, where homes are built into the forests and rangelands. At the time, the fire became the most destructive in Colorado history, burning 346 homes and killing two civilians. Then, in 2021, my home and many others in Salt Lake and Summit Counties were evacuated due to the Parley’s Canyon Fire near Park City…