Human-caused wildfires keep Utah officials jumping on July 4
Jul 4, 2024, 8:34 PM
The Little Twist wildfire continued burning on Thursday near Beaver, Utah, along with multiple other fires that were extinguished. (US Forest Service)
(US Forest Service)
SALT LAKE CITY — Wildfires started by humans cropped up in East Carbon, Tooele, Garland City and Kaysville, Utah on Thursday. The wind drove the new wildfires. All of the new starts were human-caused according to fire officials.
Image of the Horse Canyon Fire which began on Thursday near East Carbon, Utah (Utah Fire Info)
Wildfires in Horse Canyon and Garland City, Utah
Utah Fire Info reported that the Horse Canyon Fire was burning in steep terrain near the city of East Carbon. By Thursday afternoon, this fire was estimated to have grown to nearly 30 acres. Utah Fire Info said there were no threats to structures other than an old coal mine.
New 🔥Start: #HorseCanyonFire is located in Carbon Co., east of East Carbon. The fire is estimated to be between 20 and 30 acres. There are no current threats, but an Old Coal mine is in the area. Air and ground resources are responding. The fire is human-caused. #ffslkth pic.twitter.com/qtX81UsZp2
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 5, 2024
In Garland City, a grass fire threatened structures on Thursday. This fire was described by the Garland Fire Department on Facebook as a “fast-moving fire, driven by winds and heavy dry fuels.”
With help from surrounding agencies in Tremonton, Box Elder, and Fielding, crews reportedly prevented flames from getting closer to homes or jumping nearby train tracks.
(Garland Fire Department)
Fireworks reportedly caused the Garland City fire.
Fire in Tooele and Kaysville
Tooele City Fire responded to the Pine Canyon Fire on Thursday which they said was started by improper target shooting. Officials said this fire started at the bottom of a slope and burned uphill. In this instance, the wind was not blowing, but shooters created a dangerous situation by shooting Tannerite, an exploding target, in dry grass.
Tooele City Fire officials said this was the sixth fire related to target shooting they’d dealt with in recent weeks.
One person received a citation, and could face six months in jail along with a $1,000 fine, Tooele City Fire officials said.
In Kaysville on Thursday, kids setting off fireworks started a wildfire in a field near 720 E. Westbrook Road. Fire Chief Paul Erickson with Kaysville Fire said no structures were threatened and there were no injuries.
Little Twist
The largest fire burning in Utah is the Little Twist fire. Discovered in mid-July, the Little Twist fire is burning on U.S. Forest Service land at the southern end of Fishlake National Forest. Humans caused this fire according to Utah Fire Info. On Thursday afternoon it was 35% contained.
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