DAVIS COUNTY, Utah — A large plume of smoke rising above Davis County and seen across northern Utah on Memorial Day has caused a sense of unnecessary panic.
While appearing ominous, the plume is part of a planned and controlled burn in Utah Forestry, Fire and State Lands west of Bountiful. Fire officials acknowledged that heavy smoke would be visible for several days in the area, but advised residents not to report a fire.
During the burns, FOX 13 has also seen ash falling from the sky, as well as calls from residents expressing alarm.
The prescribed fire has grown to 1,500 acres, and Utah Forestry, Fire and State Lands said it is doing what it should be doing, which is burning phragmites, an invasive grass that chokes the Great Salt Lake.
The burn was scheduled for last week, but postponed to Monday due to storms.
Video from FOX 13 News viewer Clif Bradford showed the massive plume rising from west Davis County.
According to FOX 13 Utah Weather Authority meteorologist Brek Bolton, the controlled burns have caused the impressive pyrocumulus clouds to form. The clouds form over fires as hot air rises and then cools.
In some instances, the clouds can create their own weather conditions and can generate additional winds.
Winds during a separate controlled burn in Salt Lake County on Monday caused a fire to spread to a nearby property in South Jordan, burning about a quarter of an acre before it was put out.
Video below shows South Jordan property burned after prescribed burn got out of control:
