UTAH COUNTY, Utah (ABC 4 News) – The state is under severe fire restrictions after numerous wildfires have sparked up early in the year.
Utah is under a red flag warning and authorities are cautioning people on the extreme fire danger.
The Wiley Canyon Fire is likely not the last one crews will battle this month. A small spark is all it takes for flames to spread fast.
“We're experiencing fire conditions we don't see until July or August,” Cami Lee, with the Bureau of Land Management said.
Courtney Morris lives near Eagle Mountain and got a good view of the smoke from the Wiley Canyon fire.
“If you look behind our house it's all dry,” Morris said. “We drive in the mountains all the time and it's always been a concern.”
Lee said the dry conditions and wind are a bad mix. It creates the perfect fuel for wildfires.
Strict fire restrictions are prohibiting campfires outside designated areas, smoking in open areas and using fireworks of any kind.
If you plan on going shooting, authorities advise not using steel core or steel jacketed bullets, which can spark up very easily.
Gas stoves are permitted for use because they can turn on and off.
“Before you do go shooting we want you to consider going somewhere it's not so windy or hot and dry,” Lee said. “You might go in the morning hours when it's nice and cool instead of the afternoon.”
If you are headed to remote areas, carry extra water, a fire extinguisher and a shovel if possible. These items can help put out a fire.
As of Sunday evening, Lee said the Wiley Canyon fire was about 90% contained and had burned over 200 acres.
