Officials surprised at slow start to fire season


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SALT LAKE CITY — It may seem like we've had a quiet fire season so far, but Jason Curry, a spokesman for the Utah Division of Forestry, said we're not out of the woods yet.

"I think a lot of people in the fire community have just sort of been watching, waiting for the other shoe to drop," he said.

After one of the driest Junes on record, Curry said everywhere he looks, he sees a wildfire waiting to happen.

The slow season thus far isn't because fire conditions have improved, he said — it's because of two things: more training for first responders and volunteer firefighters who have been able to stop the small blazes from getting out of control, and citizens being more proactive than ever before.

"Last year is really fresh in people's memory, and overall I think we've just had really thoughtful behavior on the part of the public," Curry said.

Curry said the season is just peaking now, so more than ever, public vigilance is key.

"People still need to maintain that level of caution and continue with what they've been doing," he said.

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Jennifer Stagg

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