Investigators hope items found at campsite leads to those responsible for Iron Fire

EUREKA, Juab County — Could chairs purchased at Deseret Industries lead investigators in Juab County to the person or people who allegedly started the 42,000 acre Iron Fire?

The Iron Fire, which started on June 19, twice forced the evacuation of the town of Eureka. It burned nearly 42,000 acres across Juab, Utah and Tooele counties and is believed to be human caused, according to fire investigators. It was fully contained on July 3.

Several search warrant affidavits filed in 4th District Court state that Juab County sheriff’s deputies were called to assist the state fire investigator at what was determined to be the fire’s point of origin: a campsite on private land — “a large open range land area near the top of a hill” — near Titanic Prince 3 Road and Roand Road, west of Eureka.

“The state fire investigator informed us that the fire was human-caused. The state fire investigator then walked around the campsite and showed myself and the other deputies the evidence he had collected,” the warrants state.

That evidence included “six stackable chairs” and a black bag, all with price tags still on them from Deseret Industries, according to the warrants. The state fire investigator also found evidence at the campsite of “matches, shooting, and pyrotechnics for blowing up gopher holes. The investigator also told me that when he arrived there was a camp fire located near the tent that was glowing hot.”

Investigators were able to trace the sale of the Deseret Industries items to a store in West Valley City. A search warrant was served at the store to obtain security surveillance video in an attempt to identify the chair buyers, the warrant states.

Other items of evidence collected include an abandoned tent and a Jazzy electric wheelchair “that is possibly connected to the camp site,” the warrant states, as well as different calibers of bullet casings and targets with bullet holes.

Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason, who helped evacuate residents as the Iron Fire crept closer to homes and businesses, warned that the state will hold accountable people who spark wildfires through illegal or reckless behavior.

His warning came during the June 25 press conference when Gov. Spencer Cox announced an action that allowed cities to ban fireworks during the Fourth of July weekend. While that focused on fireworks, Mason said the same message applied to various other kinds of human causes.

“You can be held criminally liable, you can be held financially liable and, parents, you can be held liable for the actions of your children. … We will be holding those whose illegal actions start wildfires accountable,” he said at the time.