This wildfire season could be hotter, drier and pricer, Utah officials say

UT eyes pricier wildfires

The 2026 wildfire season is shaping up to be not just hotter and drier but also more expensive after the cost of gasoline soared in the three months since the Iran war began.

This wildfire season could be hotter, drier and pricer, Utah officials say

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks at a news conference at the state's wildland fire operations center in South Salt Lake on May, 20, 2026. (Utah Division of Fire, Forestry and State Lands)The 2026 wildfire season is shaping up to be not just hotter and drier but also more expensive after the cost of gasoline soared in the three months since the Iran war began.  Usually, when state officials refer to “fuel” in wildland firefighting, they’re talking ab…

Utah’s wildfire season will be as bad as feared — and more expensive, officials say

If spring fires at high elevations are any indication, Utah's wildfire season - spurred by the state's warmest winter on record - will be among the worst the state has seen. High fuel prices could make it even more costly.