Explosive Fire Conditions on the Way for the Interior West

The atmosphere will be ripe for explosive wildfire development by the end of the week across much of the interior West. Here is a closer look at the potential zone of concern as the peak of wildfire season approaches.

Extreme Wildfire Conditions in the Forecast for the Interior West

Forecasters are warning that extreme wildfire conditions will unfold in the latter part of the week across a large swath of the western U.S. The upcoming weather pattern will amplify the existing fires already burning through this corner of the country.

The greatest concentration of wildfire activity in recent days has been over the Intermountain West and the Desert Southwest. A long stretch of unseasonably hot temperatures, a lack of moisture, and breezy conditions have contributed to the ignition and spread of multiple infernos.

As of June 23, the U.S. has seen 34,262 wildfires, responsible for the burning of 2.7 million acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). The number of fires and acres burned is now trending over the recent 10-year average.

Utah has been ground zero for new fire development this week. As of the Wednesday afternoon update from Utah Fire Info, the Cottonwood Fire has scorched over 61,00 acres and is 0% contained. The Iron Fire has burned at least 31,000 acres and is less than 10% contained.

While scattered rain showers late Wednesday and into Thursday may lend an assist for fire crews on the ground, the lightning strikes accompanying some of the storms could also spark new fires. The vegetation over Utah is extremely parched following the dry winter in the Beehive State. The dry terrain is inherently more susceptible to the dangers of lightning.

More rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for the Southwest on Thursday. While this rain can be beneficial, the dry lightning will pose its own set of risks, making the upcoming forecast a double-edged sword. Salt Lake City will see just a slight chance of rain or storms on Thursday and into the overnight hours. While any bit of moisture helps fire crews, this magnitude of rain is not likely to put a dent in the efforts to contain the fires.