SALT LAKE CITY — Firefighters in Utah are concerned about the safety of fireworks this Fourth of July weekend and also about the increase in other human-caused fires in recent weeks.

The Utah Department of Forestry, Fire and State Lands reports that since June 1, it has fought 56 ​​wildfires caused by vehicles and 31 additional fires caused by debris throughout Utah.

“These fires are preventable,” Jamie Barnes, the state forester and director of the department, said in a statement Wednesday. “Those who start a wildfire can and will be held accountable for the damage caused. The state is actively pursuing reimbursement to cover the costs of firefighting.”

Vehicle fires often start when a vehicle comes into contact with dry grass. The state fire department recommends not driving over dry grass or parking vehicles near dry vegetation because hot exhaust fumes from the vehicle can start a fire.

The 31 debris fires were all reported after the start of Utah's annual wildfire season, during which many debris burnings are prohibited without a permit. Starting a fire without written permission can result in a Class C misdemeanor. Another 41 debris fires started during the open fire season, which ended May 31.

The department's message comes a day after officials stressed the importance of fireworks safety as grass, brush and trees continue to dry out in low-lying Utah areas. Private fireworks can be set off legally in approved areas between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. Friday and until midnight Thursday.

Officials with the Utah Department of Forestry, Fire and State Lands said people should also:

• Check the weather and avoid setting off fireworks on red flag days. Red flag warnings are in effect in many parts of Utah until at least 9 p.m. on holiday Thursday.
• Never leave children unattended near fire or fireworks. Protect your pets by keeping them indoors.
• Make sure fireworks are placed on a stable, vegetation-free surface. Light fireworks one at a time and move away quickly after lighting.
• Then extinguish the fireworks in a bucket of water before throwing them away.

Fire activity has increased across the state, but none of the fires have been as large as in previous years.

Sixty-five new wildfires were reported in the past week, Utah state officials reported Wednesday. With several more wildfires reported after the state's weekly report was released, the number of new wildfires this year — a total of 406 through Wednesday afternoon — has doubled since June 12.

Just over 70 percent of this year's fires, which have burned more than 2,000 hectares of land, are human-caused.

The fire situation is not expected to improve any time soon, especially with hot and dry weather forecast for this week and even hotter weather on the horizon. The Great Basin Coordination Center advises that southwest and northwest Utah have an above-average fire risk this month.

Gina Palma, a meteorologist with the agency, said recent conditions indicate a “flash drought” is developing in parts of the Great Basin, with conditions expected to last through at least the first half of this month.

Palma added in a video report Monday that monsoon moisture could hit southeast Utah first before reaching other parts of southern Utah in the second half of this month, but she warned that those first storms could bring strong winds and dry lightning that could cause additional problems.

“It's really pushing us into a potentially critical period through the middle of the month,” she said. “We're going to be more concerned about fire outbreaks, the wind bringing some of that moisture and some of that drier lightning.”