Spark From Lawnmower Triggers A Grass Fire In Alpine
Jul 17, 2019, 6:33 PM
ALPINE– An Alpine resident learned the hard way Wednesday that a good deed, can still mean a call to the fire department. A spark from his lawnmower resulted in a very close call.
Firefighters with the Lone Peak Fire Department say neighbor was wise in trying to cut down the fuels of a vacant lot in his neighborhood, but his good intentions did cause a few moments of panic.
‘This morning we had an individual who was mowing down some tall grass in a park strip area, in the urban wildland interface,” said Chief Reed Thompson, with the Lone Peak department.
“It must have hit a rock or something that sparked a flame in a vacant lot,” he added.
The man quickly called 911 and knocked down some of the flames with a shovel.
“The fire was small in nature but we were able to get it out quickly, but in an area where it could have spread very quickly,” said the chief.
Firefighters say while it is very important to cut down dry weeds to prevent a fast moving fire, care should be taken to avoid a situation where you can accidentally spark a grass fire.
“A string trimmer would be a better option as opposed to something with a metal blade and that they have a water supply on hand or that they are using something that doesn’t create a spark,” he said.
Firefighters caution that these dangerous fire conditions will likely continue for the next several weeks, until early September.
