Red flag warning issued for much of the Beehive State
Jun 16, 2025, 12:54 PM
Signs warn campers for fire danger near Soapstone Basin in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Fire officials urged Utahns on Monday to be extra careful with anything that could start a wildfire, as conditions were ripe for fires to start and spread.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for most of central, southern and eastern Utah until late Monday night due to a combination of low humidity and high wind gusts.
The affected area stretches from St. George to Nephi, as well as Bluff, all the way up to Vernal and Duchesne. The red flag warning also applies from Price to the Arizona border.
The potential for a fire to start is much higher (today),” said Karl Hunt, spokesperson for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. “Use your fire sense, take the precautions.”
Portions of Washington, Kane and Garfield counties were already under Stage 1 fire restrictions due to very hot and dry conditions.
Those restrictions include rules for things like campfires, smoking, fireworks as well as cutting, grinding, welding metal.
While the Wasatch Front is not under the same red flag warning or those fire restrictions, Hunt told KSL NewsRadio people in the north should still be careful of potential fire-starters when going outdoors.
“Fires still can start,” Hunt said. “The conditions are still there that … (if) you get a spark, it can run.”
Hunt also noted three fires started along the Wasatch Front over the weekend because of target shooting.
Human-caused fire worries
Hunt said Utahns have collectively cut human-caused fires across the state down by 57% over the last four years. Despite that progress, he said human-caused fires are still one of their biggest concerns during wildfire season.
If you spot a fire or cause one yourself, call 911 as soon as you can. Hunt said the sooner they can get units out, the better chance they have of containing the fire.
You can find more tips and resources for fire prevention on the Utah Fire Sense website.
Related: Utah fire agencies ramp up wildfire preparedness as wildfire season gets underway
