- The Unified Fire Authority in Salt Lake County is seeing a concerning purple color on cheatgrass.
- The purple color, usually seen in June or July, signals dry, flammable conditions.
- Unified fire officials emphasize preparation and public cooperation to mitigate wildfire risks.
HERRIMAN — Firefighters will often say wildfire danger is high, but they don’t always say why it’s high.
On Tuesday, a Unified Fire Authority wildland team toured a KSL crew around an area at the mouth of Butterfield Canyon to explain what is so concerning to the team about the current fire conditions.
There, Greg Vander Werff quickly pointed to the purple-colored cheatgrass that surrounded him.
“This is kind of an example of what we are up against in a dry wildland season,” Vander Werff, a firefighter and paramedic with Unified Fire, said. “This is really the culprit.”…