Fire Crews Stress Fireworks Safety, Especially After Home Burned In Herriman Last Year

HERRIMAN, Utah – There’s a certain sound grass makes when it’s really dry.

And when the green turns brown, the fire danger turns red.

“We’re watering everything every night,” said Rock Loy, who lives in Herriman.

There’s no way he’s taking a chance this year.

“It’s pretty devastating. We had anxiety for a while about it,” he said.

Loy is talking about the wildfire that damaged parts of his home last September.

“It burned up a hundred acres,” said Lot.

It also burned two homes to the ground, including Loy’s neighbor’s home.

That fire was sparked by a smoke bomb type firework which got into dry grass during a red-flag wind/burn day, and spread faster than anyone could’ve imagined.

By the time firefighters arrived, both homes were already in flames.

“This is a terrible example that fire in Herriman last year of what could happen,” said Unified Fire Authority firefighter Ryan Love. “But it’s also a good example, to share with people, what could happen.”

Love knows he sounds like a broken record when talking about fireworks safety in dry conditions, but he also knows it’s better to keep repeating himself than see another burned down house.

“We can’t say it enough. Right? And so we want to say it as many times as we can because we want people to hear it,” said Love.

Loys neighbor’s are rebuilding on the site where the home was lost.

However, like last year, there’s a lot of dry vegetation nearby.

A lot of rain fell this past Spring, allowing vegetation to grow.

Some of the grass is now chest high near where Loy lives.

It’s also all dried out.

He knows about as well as anyone it only takes one person being careless with fireworks.

“Just think about what it does to other people,” said Loy. “It doesn’t burn your house, but it might burn theirs up.”