It has cost the state about $23 million to fight forest fires so far this year, with much of the wildfire season still ahead of us, Utah House Republicans were told Wednesday.
The state, over time, will get reimbursed by the federal government for some of that cost – but bills need to be paid in any case.
And it’s likely, with only around $17 million in state funds already allocated for fighting wildfires on private and state lands, come January’s general session lawmakers will be asked for more money.
Brian Cottam, state forester, gave a wildfire cost update to an open House GOP caucus Wednesday.
The state’s cost of $23 million as of last week will certainly go up, as August is a high fire month, September not far behind, said Cottam.
The largest wildfire carries the most cost – the Dollar Ridge fire in Duchesne and Wasatch counties.
It has already cost $19.4 million to fight that fire – still ongoing – with the state’s share about $11.6 million.
The Hilltop fire in central Utah, closely detailed by Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox on social media – he lives nearby – has cost $1.3 million, all of it is billed to the state for now.
But FEMA has certified that fire and the Dollar Ridge as disasters and available for federal help. But those monies may not come to Utah for years, said Cottam.
Retiring Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, long a critic of federal land managers, said we don’t see the same kinds of forest fires in Canada as we see in the western United States.
That’s because, said Noel, Canadian officials are managing their forest lands properly – cutting timber that is being sold in America – and thus reducing wildfire extremes – or what’s called “super fires.”
Utahns are well aware of wildfires in the West this summer – with Wasatch Front valleys being filled with smoke from both California fires and Utah fires.
Some of the wildfires are human-caused, said Cottam. And contrary to many people’s beliefs, they are not started by campfires but are “roadside fires,” usually caused by passing traffic that may throw out a spark – all that’s needed if the side of the road has a fuel spill or high, very dry grass.
Utah has seen around an average number of wildfires this season, said Cottam. The difference is in the size of the fires – much bigger ones this summer.
On average, about 43,000 acres are burned each year, but up to last week in Utah, it is 86,000 acres – with more acres likely to burn over the next few months.
