HURRICANE – Firefighters responded to a brush fire in the area of 180 West 1350 South just before 10 p.m. yesterday.
Firefighters were able to surround the fire and save approximately 50 homes along the fire line, according to a press release. Upon initial arrival, 1.5 acres were actively burning and wind caused the fire to spread to the north and east.
Hurricane resident Sandra Adams said she saw four rounds of aerial fireworks just before the hillside “seemed to ignite as if it were primed to burn.”
“A few families have been evacuated,” Adams said last night. “Most people are awake. I’ve never felt winds generated by flames before … sudden, warm, 10 mph steady winds. That’s what signaled it was time to go.”
The fire was 60 percent contained by 3:32 a.m. with a roughly estimated 180 acres burned. Crews remain in the area continuing their efforts to completely contain the fire.
“My street was like SR-9. Spectators from who knows how far away coming, parking their cars, sitting on lawns watching, plus the fire personnel,” J.c. Schilling said.
“Reminded me of California traffic,” Lori Hunt-Gentry added.
Forty-five firefighters responded to this alarm from the following agencies: Hurricane Valley Fire SSD, Hildale Fire, Smithsonian Fire, Utah State FFSL and BLM.
Hurricane officials want to remind the public that restrictions against the building of fires, grinding, cutting, smoking and fireworks restrictions remain in place for all unincorporated areas of Washington County. Several cities have similar restrictions in place. Hurricane City has limited the discharge of fireworks to four city park locations; Three Falls Park, Pioneer Park, American Legion and Spilsbury baseball fields.
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