For firefighters battling the Buckley Draw Fire in Provo, the incoming storms could increase the challenges they’re currently facing on the mountainside.

The fire sparked Sunday afternoon on a mountainside south of Slate Canyon in Provo.

As of Friday, the U.S. Forest Service said the fire remains at 21% containment and has burned an estimated 446 acres.

Northern Utah Type 3 Incident Management Team spokesperson Sierra Hellstrom said storms can have positive and negative impacts on wildland firefighting efforts.

On one hand, cloudy conditions ahead of a storm help keep fire activity at a minimum due to cooler temperatures.

“So that weather before the storm comes in actually helps us make progress on the fire,” she said.

However, when thunderstorms are accompanied by lightning, Hellstrom said things can get risky for crews on the mountain who are battling the fire in treacherous terrain.

“So when lightning or the storms come in really heavy, we actually have them kind of bunker down, either in their vehicles or in a safe place — wherever they’re staying,” she said.

Hellstrom also noted the potential of new fires caused by lightning.

“We’ve seen a lot of lightning start fires this season here in Utah, and the storm likely will bring more,” she added.

The burn scar left behind by the flames of the Buckley Draw Fire could also exacerbate the situation during intense rain by increasing the risk of debris flows or mudslides.

Areas burned by a wildland fire are susceptible to debris flows, including the communities downslope and outside of the burned area. 

Hellstrom said it’s too early to determine what sort of impact any incoming storms will have as it’ll depend on how much moisture it brings.

She said while a significant amount of moisture signals concerns of erosion and debris spilling off the mountain — potentially into nearby communities — luckily, Provo has a debris basin that’s intended to catch any runoff.

“That’s something they’ve had in place long before this fire ever occurred, so they are working closely to make sure that debris basin is emptied and clear in case that happens,” Hellstrom said.

Since the fire didn’t burn close to any homes and vegetation is still intact below the burn scar, she said the impact of debris runoff will likely be minimal.

“We don’t anticipate a huge impact at this time, but that could all depend on the amount of moisture we receive,” Hellstrom said.

As of Friday, the U.S. Forest Service said a cause for the fire had not been determined and their investigation is ongoing.

In the meantime, forest officials urge people not to fly drones near the Buckley Draw Fire and to be aware of closures in place for trails and recreation sites in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest near the fire.