Weather danger soars: Lightning, high winds may aggravate wildfires

NEPHI — As a national firefighting team from Florida took over suppression efforts Saturday evening, a double rainbow formed west of smoke lines spawned by the now-15,000-acre Salt Creek wildfire.

But the rainbow and its hints of moisture also signal increased danger. Crews battling the blaze were warned Saturday that the weather in the next few days could make their task more difficult — and dangerous.

Approaching thunderstorms and attendant winds of up to 50 mph could drive the flames torching the ridges, mountainsides and rangelands in an arc between Nephi, Fountain Green and Indianola, National Weather Service fire forecaster Mike Chatelain said. Trees in the area are drier than they have ever been. Conditions also may make it possible for flames to jump up to half a mile, potentially trapping firefighters, they were warned.

Air over Utah is so dry that any rain will dry before it hits the ground, Richfield Interagency Fire spokesman Bert Hart said. But lightning will likely strike, and hot winds could spread the fire into residential areas.

The forecast calls for a high of 95 today in Nephi and 100 in Salt Lake City. The threat of thunderstorms and high winds will increase into the first of the week, according to the National Weather Service.

Meanwhile, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. told Juab and Sanpete county residents Saturday that ranchers won't have to bear the brunt of the quick-spreading Salt Creek wildfire.

The state of Utah will help to plant new fire-resistant plants on the burned land when the fire is safely out, the governor said during a visit to the fire's incident command center at Nephi's Nebo High School. The state's Agriculture Department will also deploy a Department of Public Safety helicopter to help round up scattered cattle and will ensure that those cattle have places to graze during the time it takes to regrow burned grasses. If necessary, Huntsman said, he will send National Guard troops to help if fire officials request them.

"The ravages of Mother Nature are clearly on display," Huntsman said at a news conference. "I don't know that there's been a time in recent history that our resources have been stretched this thin."

Meanwhile, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has agreed to pay up to 75 percent of state and local firefighting costs through a special wildfire grant, according to Bureau of Land Management officials on scene Saturday.

While public officials prepared to cope with the long-term problems caused by the fire, a national firefighting team arrived from Florida, and local teams and volunteer workers fought the blaze on the front lines.