PINE VALLEY, Utah — The Forsyth Fire that has destroyed over a dozen homes in the Pine Valley area over the past several days was actually started more than a week before its first flames were ever seen.
While it was previously known that the fire that started on June 19 was lightning caused, the U.S. Forest Service shared that the original strike came during a thunderstorm that moved through the Pine Valley Wilderness Area 10 days prior.
An incident commander discovered a tree strike in the area of the fire's point of origin, with a further investigation showing a visibly seen lightning strike on a rocky slope on June 9.
According to the Forest Service, the lightning strike hit the base of the tree, igniting a fire within the trunk.
"With these types of strikes, the immense heat vaporizes the sap and moisture inside the tree," the Forest Service explained. "This intense heat ignites the wood from within, creating a slow, flameless form of combustion known as smoldering."
Crews battling Forsyth Fire get some rest, but remain in race against time:
The smoldering that occurred can last for days or weeks without a flame and going undetected, which it did until heavy winds picked up and increased the fire activity 10 days later.
With smoke now showing from the once-hidden, flameless smoldering on June 19, crews responded to the scene. However, due to low humidity and high temperatures, the fire was able to quickly make a destructive path to Pine Valley where 13 homes were burned to the ground.
On Tuesday, the Forsyth Fire had grown to over 8,200 acres and remains 0% contained. Although no additional structures have been damaged, weather conditions are once again expected to deteriorate by the end of the week, creating critical fire concerns for firefighters.
