WEBER COUNTY, Utah, May 17, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — South Weber Fire is warning residents to take extra precautions while cottonwood trees are in their mass seeding season, which produces white fluff that can act as fire fuel.
“Following today’s grass fire in South Weber — which resulted in smoke and fire damage to a single-family home — we want to remind residents to use extreme caution during spring cleanup activities,” South Weber Fire said in a Saturday news release.
“The white ‘fluff’ produced by cottonwood trees is highly flammable and can ignite instantly from even a small spark. Sparks from lawn equipment, trailers, vehicles, power tools, or other motorized equipment may be all it takes to start a fast-moving fire.
“With the large amount of cottonwood fluff currently on the ground, combined with warmer temperatures and increasingly dry conditions, the fire danger is significantly elevated.”
The release asked residents to take the following extra precautions:
• Avoid parking vehicles on dry grass
• Keep trailer chains from dragging
• Use caution with lawn mowers and weed trimmers
• Never intentionally ignite or burn cottonwood fluff
• Keep dry vegetation cleared around homes and structures
“Cottonwood fluff burns rapidly and spreads fire quickly across yards, fields, and dry grass. What may seem harmless can escalate into a dangerous property fire within seconds,” the SWF statement says.
“This is the second cottonwood tree-related fire we have had in less than a year. Thank you for helping keep our community safe.”
