Courtney TannerA column of smoke seen Monday towering above Salt Lake City’s skyscrapers has drawn a lot of attention — but it shouldn’t be a cause for concern.
Fire officials confirmed that the black plume is from a controlled burn east of the Great Salt Lake.
“This is normal prescribed fire operations,” a spokesperson for Salt Lake City’s fire department told The Salt Lake Tribune.
The prescribed blaze, officially named the Turpin Fire, was started by Utah Forest, Fire & State Lands on Monday near Bountiful. It’s expected to burn up to 1,500 acres.
“Smoke may be visible near Bountiful & surrounding areas,” Utah’s fire agencies posted on social media. “Please avoid the burn area & do not report smoke.”
(Utah Fire Info) Pictured are crew members working a controlled fire to get rid of invasive phragmites around the Great Salt Lake.
(Utah Fire Info) Pictured are crew members working a controlled fire to get rid of invasive phragmites around the Great Salt Lake.
The fire is meant to help control the growth of phragmites, a water-guzzling invasive species that has taken over the shores of the Great Salt Lake, choking out native plants.
The Turpin Fire is one of a handful of fires that Utah crews are expecting to manage “hazardous fuels and improve habitat conditions” in that area. Those are planned for a total of up to 3,000 acres in targeted spots around the lake.
(Utah Fire Info) Pictured is a map showing where Utah crews are conducting prescribed burns around the Great Salt Lake.
(Utah Department of Transportation) Pictured is a prescribed fire burning on Monday, May 25, 2026 near the Great Salt Lake.
