LOCAL NEWS

‘It’s just primed to burn right now’: Lehi fire chief urges caution with fireworks during windy conditions

Jul 4, 2022, 7:44 PM | Updated: Jul 5, 2022, 1:02 pm
Chief Craft on Traverse...
Chief Craft on Traverse

LEHI, Utah – After surveying the hillside on Traverse Mountain directly above a row of homes, Lehi’s fire chief is worried.

“This burnt two years ago and it’s ready to burn again,” Chief Jeremy Craft said.

Craft said the rain this spring resulted in taller grass that has now dried out.

“The fuels are super dry,” Craft said. “It’s just primed to burn right now.”

Craft and homeowners remember the tense June night two years ago when the fireworks-caused Traverse Fire forced evacuations.

Evacuations Ordered After Wildfire Breaks Out On Traverse Mountain In Lehi

“We had fire coming down the hill and it was really fast,” said Kelly Hatcher, whose house borders Traverse Mountain.

Hatcher recalls knocks at his door and waking up to find flames behind his house.

“You could see embers just going everywhere and they were landing on the roof,” he said.

After helping his family evacuate, Hatcher stayed behind to use irrigation water to protect his house.

“I was just hosing down the whole fence line,” he said.

Lehi City Firework Restrictions.

Hatcher and the rest of the community escaped without any homes lost after the wind shifted at the last minute.

Two years later, those who lived through the fire are reminding people that fireworks are prohibited on Traverse Mountain and anywhere north of Timpanogos Highway.

“People shouldn’t take it lightly,” Hatcher said. “It’s very serious.”

Even in areas of Lehi where fireworks are allowed, Craft said the wind may make it too dangerous to safely light them off—especially aerial fireworks.

“What I would ask people is if the winds are still blowing this evening, just wait,” Craft said. “Please don’t do them tonight. We don’t want to catch a neighbor’s house on fire. We don’t want to catch a field on fire. We don’t want to catch Traverse on fire again.”

Lehi is allowing fireworks at three city parks on July 4th until midnight: Olympic Park, Veterans Ballpark and Sports Park. Craft said that firefighters will be on hand to supervise and may ask residents to hold off if the winds are too strong.

“Not only is the wind going to drive your fireworks where you can’t control it but if a fire does start, the wind-driven fires are much more difficult to contain,” Craft said.

KSL 5 TV Live

Top Stories

Local News

(Chopper 5/KSL TV)...
Josh Ellis

Greatest snow on Earth: Utah’s snowpack hits record high

Things are about as good as it can get for the Greatest Snow on Earth: Utah has set a record for its statewide snowpack, passing the previous mark set 40 years ago.
16 hours ago
FILE PHOTO: The Chickadee lift is pictured at Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon on Thursday, Oct...
Madison Swenson

Interlodge in effect at Snowbird, Alta Ski Area

Two ski resorts in Little Cottonwood Canyon are now under interlodge protocol due to active storms in the area.
16 hours ago
(KSL TV)...
Karah Brackin

KSL TV flies with all-female medical flight crew from Ogden

A medical flight crew based out of Ogden is making a name for itself as an all-female crew.
16 hours ago
A man shot himself when police arrived to serve a search warrant in an investigation involving chil...
Brooke Williams

Police: Grantsville man shot himself upon police serving search warrant

A man shot himself when police arrived to serve a search warrant in an investigation involving child sexual abuse material.
16 hours ago
Traffic cameras show 300 West and South Temple in Salt Lake Ciy covered in snow Friday. (Utah Depar...
Bridger Beal-Cvetko

‘This is just the appetizer’: More snow expected Friday afternoon

It's nearly April, but the Wasatch Front is preparing for another winter storm that is expected to drop between 1 and 4 inches of snow in the valleys through Friday evening.
16 hours ago
Fernando Perez, El Salvador consul general, talks with Jose Aviles at the consulate of El Salvador ...
Sydnee Gonzalez

New Salt Lake consulate already helping many of the 20,000 Salvadorans in Utah

Salvadorans in Utah finally had their requests for a consulate answered earlier this month.
16 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...
BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.
Close up of an offset printing machine during production...
Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.
vintage photo of lighting showroom featuring chandeliers, lamps, wall lights and mirrors...
Lighting Design

History of Lighting Design | Over 25 Years of Providing Utah With the Latest Trends and Styles

Read about the history of Lighting Design, a family-owned and operated business that paved the way for the lighting industry in Utah.
Fiber Optical cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports...
Brian Huston, CE and Anthony Perkins, BICSI

Why Every Business Needs a Structured Cabling System

A structured cabling system benefits businesses by giving you faster processing speeds and making your network more efficient and reliable.
notebook with password notes highlighted...
PC Laptops

How to Create Strong Passwords You Can Actually Remember

Learn how you can create strong passwords that are actually easy to remember! In a short time you can create new ones in seconds.
house with for rent sign posted...
Chase Harrington, president and COO of Entrata

Top 5 Reasons You May Want to Consider Apartment Life Over Owning a Home

There are many benefits of renting that can be overshadowed by the allure of buying a home. Here are five reasons why renting might be right for you.
‘It’s just primed to burn right now’: Lehi fire chief urges caution with fireworks during windy conditions