Officials looking for person or people who set off illegal fireworks, sparking fire
Jul 6, 2025, 8:04 AM | Updated: Jul 7, 2025, 10:42 am
Officials say the fire was likely caused by illegal fireworks. (Ogden City Fire Department)
(Ogden City Fire Department)
OGDEN – Some residents of Weber County have been evacuated after a new, human-caused fire started in Ogden Canyon.
According to a post on X by Utah Fire Info, the Ogden Canyon Fire was located at the mouth of Ogden Canyon, and was at approximately 10 acres Sunday morning. The fire was later renamed the 9th Street Fire and had burned down to approximately three acres.
New Start Weber County: #OgdenCanyonfire, 10 acres, 1 structure involved, 20 residents evacuated. More information coming. pic.twitter.com/rPqJVGAiaR
— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) July 6, 2025
Fire officials said one structure sustained major damage, and 20 residents were evacuated.
Ogden City Deputy Fire Chief Mike Slater said they believe someone set off illegal fireworks in a restricted area around 12:30 a.m., shortly after fire crews finished patrols in high-risk areas.
“We’re still actively investigating,” Slater said. “Hopefully we can get some footage or somebody will say something and we’ll be able to find the individual.”
Tyler Valadez, who lives nearby, said he was outside when he saw fireworks, shortly followed by a glow on the mountain.
“My original thought was, it’s past curfew. That’s stupid. And then right there, of all places, it’s so dry up there, it’s just not smart,” he said.
He said he started using his hose to put out the flames that were coming up to his and his neighbors’ fenceline.
“I just started spraying everything I could as fast as I could, and as much as I could, turned the sprinklers on,” Valadez said.
He rushed to help his neighbors.
“I knew they’re elderly and they’re probably in bed, and so I ran over there as fast as I could, banging on the door, hit the ring doorbell,” he said.
Valadez said they answered the door and got out of their home. Officials evacuated the entire street.
One home was lost and several were damaged.
“We have one home that’s not habitable,” Slater said. “It didn’t have a lot of defensible space, had some mature trees that ended up catching on fire in the backyard and then spread to the roof, which got in the attic. Firefighters got those people out of the house.”
Slater said the American Red Cross and an Ogden emergency manager are helping them while they’re displaced.
He asked anyone who saw or heard something related to the fireworks to contact Weber dispatch.
“We do have a city ordinance that does hold that person liable and responsible for any cost to mitigate the fire, any damages to property,” Slater said. “We’re hopeful we can find that person and they can help fix some of the damage they caused.”
He said those restrictions are there for a reason.
“We spent a lot of time and research and energy trying to decide when to put restrictions in place,” Slater said. “In those early mornings when the wind’s pushing these fires, it’s hard for us to stop. It’ll jump roads, it’ll burn up whatever’s in its path, and it moves fast.”
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