Firefighters: Backhoe Strikes Power Box, Sparking Fire In Rose Canyon

HERRIMAN, Utah – Firefighters said a resident on a backhoe accidentally struck a power box, sparking the Rosecrest Fire that spread to 80 acres Wednesday and forced the evacuation of as many as 30 homes for several hours.

Unified Fire Authority spokesman Ryan Love said the fire first broke out around 2:45 p.m. in an area between two houses, threatening the surrounding homes, and then winds fanned the flames up the Rose Canyon hillside.

“It’s just beautiful up here, so it’s so sad,” said Kim Cedar, as she watched the fire near a blockade at Rose Canyon Road and Majestic Oaks Lane. “It’s just right down our little canyon.”

Cedar and Pat Nix both rushed home after word spread of the fire and subsequent evacuations.

Both were anxious about their pets and farm animals.

“It’s just a constant worry up here in the summer time,” Nix said of the fire threat.

Crystal Lovendahl and Destiny Scott were among the evacuees from the two neighborhoods nearest to the flames.

“We go outside and it’s smoke everywhere!” Scott said. “On the way back up you could see flames flying everywhere!”

Lovendahl said her husband’s daughter and the daughter’s two kids remained at the house during the fire.

“She’s got a 2-month-old baby, so she’s trying not to stir too much up unless she has to,” Lovendahl said. “She’s ready to go at any given point.”

Lovendahl and her family received good news Wednesday evening, when they learned evacuations were being lifted and that firefighters had gained the upper-hand on the fire.

Firefighters said they planned to watch the fire overnight, and that hand crews would be out Thursday morning in an effort to reach full containment.

Lovendahl said the fire sparked a little too close for comfort.

“We want to move!” Lovendahl said. “We’re running away! We don’t want to deal with this anymore!”