Don't think that just because Utah had such a wet spring the risk of fire has diminished.

"I could not say the fire risk is any less than last year," said South Davis Metro Fire Agency Chief George Sumner on Monday. While the current focus is on blazes in southern Utah, Sumner warns that this year will have as high a fire danger in Davis County as in recent drought-stricken years because of the lush growth brought about by the spring rains. Typically by now Davis County firefighters have already battled some wildland fires. There have been none along the Wasatch Front -- yet.

"We had a nice wet spring, but we still live in the high desert," Sumner warned. That means that unless people remain careful about the use of fires, there will be fires in the foothills and soon.

Sumner's warning is being echoed by the National Inter-agency Fire Center, which issued three red flag warnings for the west, all in the Great Basin.

"I was up in the foothills and there's still a lot of green up there but with the hot, southerly winds blowing, that will all come to an end," Sumner said.

Sumner said he believes the high risk of wildfires in the foothills along the Wasatch Front may come later this year, but they're coming.

That means that this year, as in years past, fire restrictions are in effect all along the Wasatch Front.

Under the restrictions, no fireworks will be allowed in the foothills; in Bountiful, that means above Bountiful Blvd. No smoking or open campfires will be allowed either.

Fireworks legal in Utah will be allowed in areas below the foothills, but only three days before and three days after the legal holidays of July 4 and 24. And fireworks purchased in Wyoming or elsewhere, such as bottle rockets are again prohibited.

Sumner said the prescribed burn conducted by the U.S. Forest Service earlier this spring may help the area along the Farmington/Centerville border, but even there, if a spark hits, there will be fire.

Sumner said the fact that last year there were few wildland fires along the Wasatch Front was remarkable given the five years of drought. He attributes that to that fact residents "were pretty dang scared," and were very careful with fire. "We could have another year like that, if people remain scared."

And that, he said, is what it's going to take this year, because no matter how wet or dry the growth is, people have to be careful with fireworks, cigarettes and campfires.

mwilliams@davisclipper.com