Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox, who lives in Fairview, just south of Indianola, was reportedly driving home on Highway 89 Friday afternoon when he saw the smoke. For many residents of Sanpete County, it brought back memories of the Wood Hollow fire which burned ferociously for ten days in 2012, destroying 160 structures including 52 homes and claiming one life.

That Wood Hollow fire, which was started by arcing power lines consumed 75 square miles of brush, grass, and heavy fuels. Residents as far south as Fairview were evacuated and smoke filled the entire Sanpete Valley. An estimated four million dollars was spent suppressing the 2012 Wood Hollow Fire.

The Hollow Fire started in the burn scar of the Wood Hollow Fire. Even with much of the dense fuels previously burned, the Hollow Fire moved quickly due to extreme dry conditions and record high temperatures.

“Fuels are just so dry; fire is moving quickly. We’ve seen that on a number of incidents this year, so far,” said Kait Webb with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. “We had such a hot and dry spring and that has carried into the summer. The fuels here are very dry. Firefighters were experiencing active fire behavior yesterday” Webb reported.

The dry fuels burned quickly as the Hollow Fire was attacked by hot shot crews, engine crews and air resources who had the Hollow Fire 40% contained by Saturday evening. Fire fighter crews remained on the scene until Tuesday, August 4th, when the fire was listed as contained at 2:30 pm after burning 1,416 acres, a shed and a camper. The cause of the Hollow Fire is still under investigation.

On Thursday, July 23 U.S. the Forest Service implemented Stage 1 Fire Restrictions for Sanpete, Ferron and Price ranger districts of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, prohibiting “igniting, building, maintaining, or using fire , including charcoal briquettes, outside a fire structure that is provided by the Forest Service” and “smoking outside an enclosed vehicle or building”.

Exemptions apply however, for authorized Forest Service employees, persons using a stove or grill fueled by liquid petroleum fuel, persons using a stove in a designated area, persons smoking in an area at least three feet in diameter that is cleared of all flammable materials and Federal, State or local officials or members of a rescue or firefighting force in performance of an official duty.

The Utah Department of Natural Resources implemented a Fire Restriction Order on July 13 which is designed to prevent ignition of forest and rangeland fires. In addition to the Forest Service restrictions outlined above it also prohibits discharging or using any fireworks, tracer ammunition, or other pyrotechnic devices including exploding targets.

The restrictions also prohibited is the cutting, welding or grinding of metal in areas of dry vegetation and operating a motorcycle, chainsaw, ATV or other small internal combustion engine without an approved, working spark arrestor.

The DNR and USFS issued extreme fire risk warnings the beginning of August, reminding us that the 2020 fire season is currently peaking. Fire officials urge citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious smoke as soon as possible while adhering to the restrictions put in place by the DNR and Forest Service. Work safe, travel safe and play safe so we can all stay safe this season.