Monroe Canyon Fire creating its own weather system, threatening firefighters and the world’s largest living organism

SALT LAKE CITY — Fire crews are fighting not just a fire but the weather as they work to contain the Monroe Canyon Fire, which is racing toward precious natural features.

KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson says the burning fires, along with the natural heat, are forming a column of air and creating a cloud over the smoke with its own lightning, high winds, and potentially acid rain.

Johnson says these winds can carry embers as far as 4 miles downwind.

The fire is currently burning on one side of state Route 24, and if it crosses to the other, it could threaten Fishlake National Forest and the world’s largest living organism, the Pando Aspen Clone.

Pando is an aspen tree grove spanning over 100 acres.

“So we do not want this thing to cross that highway because then it poses a threat to that very special and sacred grove down in south central Utah,” Johnson said.

The rising air creating these clouds is dangerous enough by itself.

“Within that rising air, you’re getting embers. Sometimes the embers are the size of little branches,” Johnson said. “And that’ll carry down half (a) mile, sometimes 3 to 4 miles downstream. And if you’re a firefighter fighting on the line that’s coming on your backside, you’re getting flanked. You got to get out of there.”

Johnson says this situation happened last Friday.

Crews hope they can use state Route 24 as a natural fire line, preventing it from spreading further.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency on Thursday in response to ongoing wildfires, notably the Monroe Canyon Fire.