CENTRAL, Utah (KSL.com) – Fireworks appeared to be on fire in the hills above Parish Lane and 100 miles south of Centralville, Utah, police said Monday.
It resulted in 89 evictions overnight in the area; But when the fire was far from their homes, they started before 6 o’clock in the morning. According to Centerville Police, some roads in the area are closed to firefighters. He added that a couple of holidays scheduled for Monday – the July 4 rally in downtown and the Independence Day – have been canceled due to the fire.
“Firefighting efforts will continue to affect the procession and the 5K race until the morning. Also, the public safety resources needed to ensure the safety of the event will not be available,” police wrote on social media.
Deuel Creek Fire is estimated at 100 hectares of land and contains 0%, according to Utah Fire data, administered by state and federal fire protection agencies. Local, state and federal firefighters helped fight the blaze overnight. Type 3 Wildlife Fire Protection Team is scheduled for Monday, which means more firefighting inputs are expected “throughout the day.”
Centerville Police Lt. Alan Ackerson told KSL-TV that people could not see much smoke if they were driving near the blaze, but staff were not prepared to make sure the blaze was completely extinguished. As firefighters try to contain the blaze, authorities are urging people to stay away.
“The fire is far from extinguished,” he said, standing several blocks west of the fire. “It’s still burning. You can’t see where we are now.”
Authorities warn residents that they may be displaced again and that they must be prepared for “immediate notice.”
The blaze broke out just before midnight on Deuel Creek Road, which Ackerson described as one of the city’s “most famous highways.” Many people posted photos and videos of the fire as it went up the hill.
Due to the severe drought in the area, the fire was extinguished by the wind. Eight different agencies were assigned in one night, which allowed them to pick up vacations within hours.
“One of the reasons we were able to quell the fire so quickly was because they were able to find a lot of property on the site, all the firefighters were going up quickly in the mountains,” Ackerson said.
Fireworks are suspected, but the exact cause of the fire is under investigation. Ackerson said “natural causes” were eliminated in the investigation, which means a man-made fire.
A car was on the road believed to have caught fire, and a sergeant found the license plate number before the vehicle left, police said Monday.
Due to the July 4 holiday, officials sometimes suspect fireworks because it is legal to light fires in Utah from Saturday to Tuesday. However, Centerville has designated fireworks zones east of Parish Lane, 400 miles east and east east, 100 miles south, as the area is close to the Wild Land Hills.
Fire risk is high today, and Red Flag warnings apply to most Utah. Although it is Independence Day, we urge you to refrain from actions that may cause flashbacks. Any fire that starts will spread quickly! #utwx pic.twitter.com/nZOkFEZi2M
– NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) July 4, 2022
The National Weather Service has previously issued a red flag warning that high temperatures, wind conditions and low humidity could lead to dangerous fire activity. A similar warning applies to most states on Monday, with workers continuing to fight Deuel Creek Fire.
The agency tweeted: “Despite Independence Day, we urge you to refrain from activities that may cause flashbacks. “Occurrences of fires spread rapidly!”
