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SUMMIT COUNTY -- Firefighters contained a wildfire in rugged terrain in Parley's Canyon Tuesday evening. While the summer heat continues, federal fire officials say Utah has dodged an explosive fire season so far.
There's still plenty of heat and dry weather left in this summer, but firefighters in the Intermountain West have not had to race from one big fire to another this year.
In Parley's Canyon, firefighters expected 100-percent containment of the Gun Range fire at 6 p.m. Whether target shooting had anything to do with the fire is still under investigation.
The fire started Sunday on the north side of the canyon and burned a total of 56 acres of Forest Service and private land. Although there are no road closures in effect near the fire, officials ask that motorists not stop along I-80 west of the East Canyon Exit.
A wet, cool spring delayed fire season. Monsoon moisture helped, too.
"The fine fuels have dried out and cured, but we're just not getting the dry lightning that can start a lot of the fires. We're getting a lot of precipitation with that," says Kathy Jo Pollock with the U.S. Forest Service.
Farther south, another fire can be seen from Interstate 15 above Mona City. The Willow Creek fire has burned 200 acres in steep terrain in the Mount Nebo wilderness.
Firefighters will manage the fire at lower elevations. At higher elevations they expect the fire to eventually burn itself out.
With fewer big fires throughout the west, we can enjoy better air quality this summer. We haven't been overwhelmed by smoke clouds settling over Utah.
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E-mail: jboal@ksl.com
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