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Utah’s human-caused wildfires decrease for second year in a row

An infographic showing a decrease in wildfires throughout Utah
Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands

New numbers released by the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands shows that human-caused wildfires have decreased throughout Utah for the second year in a row.

The numbers were shared on Tuesday highlighting the fact that only 489 human-caused wildfires were recorded this year, nearly half the numbers from 2020. Not only did human-caused wildfires decrease, but the total number of burned acres also dropped from 2020’s 87,000 to just 24,177 this year.

In 2020, 946 human-caused wildfires were recorded and 87,053 acres were burned. In 2021, the number of wildfires decreased to 548 and burned acres decreased to 23,146. While 2022 saw a decrease in human caused wildfires, with there only being 489, the amount of burned acres slightly increased to 24,177.

Utah residents are being congratulated by state fire officials for practicing safe methods during a time of dry conditions.

Jared Gereau is pursuing a Journalism major with an emphasis in Social Media at Utah State University. He is planning on using his experience to pursue a career with USU Athletics sometime after he graduates. In his free time, Jared enjoys watching movies, playing games and creating content for his YouTube channel.