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Jed Boal ReportingGrass fires kept firefighters chasing flames today in the Salt Lake Valley. If conditions don't improve soon, the high risk of wildfire could continue into early fall. Fire officials want all of us to be extremely careful.
The high heat is back. Most of Utah thirsts for rain and fire danger intensifies across the state Tall, dry grass is all ready to burn.
All it took was a spark from a passing train and two fires roared to life within minutes this morning, right along the tracks next to I-80. The fires raced through fields of dry grass. Neither fire burned any buildings, but one came within 50 yards of the barn where a company stores parade floats.
Alex Reese, Modern Display Employee: "When there's a fire that close you're thinking what if? Will I have a job tomorrow? All that stuff."
Firefighters fear many more grass fires.
Dennis McKone, Salt Lake City Fire Dept.: "This grass has really grown tall. There's areas that are four feet high. And then comes the 100-degree temperatures which dried it out."
As temperatures climbed, more grass fires. One today scorched the ground at a busy Sandy intersection during rush hour. Another flared up along the tracks west of The Gateway mall.
Dave Dalrymple, State Fire Management Coordinator: "We know that things are primed out there, it's just a matter of when and where."
Cheat grass presents the biggest problem, especially west of I-15.
Dave Dalrymple: "Normally this stuff only grows a foot to two foot high, we're getting it almost four feet tall."
That means three or four times the volume of fuel in places. Last week a fire in the west desert burned ten thousand acres in one hour.
Dave Dalrymple: "One of the fellas who's been on the district almost fifteen years, fought a lot of fires in the desert, says that's the most spectacular fire behavior he's seen. That's pretty impressive."
The potential for rain this weekend is good news. The potential for lightning without substantial rain is bad news. We'll have to wait and see which scenario plays out.
