Officials say nearly 60% of Utah wildfires in 2025 were caused by humans, highlighting the important role residents play in reducing wildfire risk and protecting homes and communities.

May is recognized as Wildfire Awareness Month in Utah, and emergency officials are encouraging families, neighborhoods and community groups to focus on prevention and preparedness before peak fire season arrives.

“With ongoing drought and already dry conditions across the state, the risk is elevated heading into the summer months,” said Kayli Guild, statewide fire communications, prevention and education coordinator for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.

“Wildfire preparedness starts at home, but it takes all of us,” Guild said. “The work people do now–clearing vegetation, preparing their homes, and planning ahead–can make a real difference when fire season intensifies.”

Preparing homes and families

State officials are encouraging Utahns to begin preparing now by creating evacuation plans, assembling emergency go-bags and discussing emergency procedures with family members before a wildfire threatens their area.

Residents are also being asked to focus on the “Home Ignition Zone,” especially the first five feet surrounding homes and structures. Officials recommend removing flammable materials near homes, cleaning roofs and gutters, trimming vegetation and clearing dead brush to reduce fire danger.

Creating defensible space around homes can also help firefighters better protect neighborhoods during an active wildfire.

Utah’s new “Living With Fire” initiative, which is currently under development, will eventually provide centralized wildfire preparedness information and resources for residents statewide.

“This is exactly how Living With Fire will be laid out–simple, practical steps people can actually take,” Guild said. “You don’t have to wait to get started.”

Emergency alerts and evacuation planning

Emergency management officials are also reminding residents to stay informed during wildfire season by monitoring Wireless Emergency Alerts, local television and radio broadcasts, and county emergency notification systems.

Families are encouraged to identify multiple evacuation routes, establish meeting locations and decide ahead of time who will handle pets, medications and important documents during an evacuation.

Officials say households that prepare in advance are able to evacuate more safely and efficiently, allowing emergency responders to concentrate on containing fires.

Power safety during fire season

Wildfire preparedness efforts also involve utility companies and power infrastructure.

Rocky Mountain Power officials said the company may occasionally implement emergency power shutoffs during periods of extreme wildfire danger in order to protect public safety and reduce the risk of power-related ignitions.

The company said it continues to invest in vegetation management near power lines, infrastructure upgrades and advanced weather and fire monitoring systems.

“Strong relationships, transparency, and coordination between utilities and public safety agencies are essential to keeping communities safe,” said Dick Garlish, president of Rocky Mountain Power.

Customers are encouraged to keep their contact information updated in order to receive outage notifications and emergency updates.

Community-wide efforts encouraged

State officials emphasized that wildfire preparedness is most effective when neighborhoods and communities work together.

Neighborhood cleanup projects, vegetation removal efforts and the distribution of wildfire preparedness materials can help reduce fire danger and improve community readiness.

Educational materials, including wildfire safety checklists and information about protecting the critical five-foot zone around homes, are also being promoted as part of statewide outreach efforts.

More information about wildfire preparedness and emergency planning is available at Be Ready Utah and current wildfire updates can be found through Utah Fire Info. Residents can also review wildfire risk information for their property through the Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal.