LOCAL NEWS

North Eden Fire Spreads To 5,000 Acres In First Day

Aug 17, 2018, 12:57 AM

RICH COUNTY, Utah – A wildfire east of Bear Lake near the Utah, Idaho and Wyoming border quickly spread to more than 5,000 acres Thursday and resulted in a close call for some firefighters who were working to repair a broken-down truck.

Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands spokesman Jason Curry said the fire sparked after 1 p.m. and was only 10 percent contained as of Thursday night.

Curry said during the initial stages of the response, a large engine from Woodruff encountered mechanical problems, and a fire warden responded to try to help.

“Flames moved quickly toward them, cut off their escape route,” Curry explained. “They had to retreat from their vehicles into the black, and the vehicles were a total loss.

Curry said the firefighters only had about three minutes from the warden arriving to when the flames were practically on top of them.

“They began to spray water to try and create a little bit of a buffer so fire wouldn’t take the vehicles and then they retreated through some flames,” Curry said. “We’re very fortunate everybody is here to be able to be telling this story of a close call versus something much different.”

Curry said the firefighters were not injured during the close call.

Fire crews said erratic winds from passing thunderstorms did not help the situation Thursday as flames spread through light fuels.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation Thursday evening.

Curry said the state has seen as many as 30 large fires this season, marking what is being characterized as the busiest fire season in Utah in the past decade.

“We continue to ask the public to be really vigilant out there in terms of avoiding fire,” Curry said. “Continue to be safe and don’t give us any more to deal with.”

KSL 5 TV Live

Local News

Police confirmed Monday they were investigating whether the same driver was responsible for multipl...

Andrew Adams

Police investigate whether same driver is responsible for multiple hit-and-runs

Police confirmed Monday they were investigating whether the same driver was responsible for multiple hit-and-run collisions.

4 hours ago

two men sit at a table and look at a phone...

Matt Gephardt

Imposters stealing Utah restaurant names to deceive drivers and customers on food delivery apps

When a popular Provo pizzeria couldn’t get a food delivery app to remove an impostor account, the owners decided to Get Gephardt to investigate.

4 hours ago

The spring homebuying season is here, and realtor Alicia Holdaway says Utah’s housing market is g...

Daniel Woodruff

What’s changing in Utah’s housing market after real estate lawsuit settlement

The spring homebuying season is here, and realtor Alicia Holdaway says Utah’s housing market is getting busy.

5 hours ago

One of Utah County's three commissioners has been battling a tumor causing him to miss a series of ...

Lindsay Aerts

Utah County Commission chair calls for resignation of Tom Sakievich over ability to work

One of Utah County's three commissioners has been battling a tumor causing him to miss a series of recent commission meetings and other county work.

6 hours ago

A Weber County family is mourning the loss of a 28-year-old man killed in a wrong way crash early S...

Garna Mejia

Family grieves the loss of a man killed in Sunday’s wrong-way crash

A Weber County family is mourning the loss of a 28-year-old man killed in a wrong-way crash early Sunday morning.

7 hours ago

The motorcycle accident that happened near 350 South 200 East....

Michael Houck

Motorcyclist crash closes road in Salt Lake City

Police say a critical injury crash involving a motorcyclist has closed a road in downtown Salt Lake City.

8 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Users display warnings about the use of artificial intelligence (AI), access to malicious software ...

Les Olson

How to Stay Safe from Cybersecurity Threats

Read our tips for reading for how to respond to rising cybersecurity threats in 2023 and beyond to keep yourself and your company safe.

North Eden Fire Spreads To 5,000 Acres In First Day