HERRIMAN — If it seems like it's early to be talking wildfire season, firefighters say it's not. Already, the state has seen several agriculture-related fires burn out of control due to winds; early forecasts are projecting a worse-than-average year for wildfires.

The brush fires touched off recently in Summit, Morgan, Duchesne counties and beyond, said Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands spokesman Jason Curry.

"We're already spending taxpayer money on wildfires where we should be able to plan a little bit better," Curry said.

Though Curry said the snowpack generally has been better than last year, it remained below average in a lot of areas. Modeling of future weather, he said, is predicting drought conditions in the spring and summer.

Translation: This wildfire season may resemble a normal year through June, but July and August could yield large fires.

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This season's rash of fast-moving wildfires is prompting warnings to homeowners who choose to build on the edges of these high fueled lands. The advice: Provide yourself buffer zones or risk losing your homes.

"Last year it was completely off the charts," Curry said of the fire danger. "This year it's still going to be high."

Cities are hoping to be better prepared than last year. Since the Rose Crest Fire burned a handful of homes in Herriman last June, city leaders have retooled evacuation plans.

"We'll have automatic one-way roads that will immediately set up," said assistant city manager Gordon Haight. "We'll immediately execute those plans, and (Unified police) know what they are, and (Unified Fire Authority) knows what they are, so they know how they can get their people in and out."

Last year, Haight said, residents and emergency responders got tangled in the middle as homeowners were trying to escape the blaze.

Haight said city public works, police, fire departments and the neighboring military at Camp Williams would now be on the same page with mapping and terminology. Previously, the same areas on the map could have had as many as three different names, he said.

"I think the public really expects us to manage this well because it is life-threatening and people have lost their homes," Haight said.

Curry said firefighters may get some help in the form of a couple bills currently awaiting the governor's signature.

One gives the state forester the authority to restrict target shooting when fire danger is determined to be extremely hazardous. Another measure strengthens the governor's authority to commandeer water supplies for fire suppression.

Meantime, firefighters are warning people who plan to do spring burns in the coming weeks.

"A little bit of preparation goes a long ways, (as does) just choosing the right day," Curry said.

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