ST. GEORGE — Thanks to what firefighters and witnesses said was a rapid response, crews were able to extinguish a brush fire near a St. George neighborhood Saturday afternoon before any nearby structures were damaged.
St. George Fire Capt. Scott Peacock said multiple units were dispatched to the scene, located in a wooded area behind a house near 700 N. 400 W. The initial call came in at approximately 4:15 p.m.
“When we arrived, we had fire spread across the entire west side of the property line,” Peacock said. “So we stretched the hose line first up the south side of the property. We just wanted to make sure that the structure wasn’t on fire first, and it wasn’t at all.”
Peacock said crews then brought a hose line across the north side of the property and began to attack the fire from that access point.
“The wind was pushing it a little bit up the hill to the north,” Peacock said, “and we made a stop on it there.”
“It only took about five to 10 minutes to knock down the entire fire. It wasn’t that big. It looked fairly large, but it got knocked down pretty quick.”
Terry Cluff, who lives down the street, was one of several neighbors who gathered at the scene and watched crews put out the fire.
“It was billowing like crazy all up and down that ridge, with dead trees and bushes,” Cluff told St. George News. “It looked like it was out of control, and poof! The fire department got here and bang, they had hoses everywhere. They knocked her down. They’re just really professionals. We are so grateful for them.”
The outdoor temperature in the area at the time of the incident was over 100 degrees, with dry, gusty winds.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Peacock said, as fire personnel had not yet had a chance to get statements from witnesses, including nearby property owners.
In addition to crews from St. George Fire Department, personnel from the St. George Police Department and Gold Cross Ambulance responded to the scene. No injuries were reported.
About a half hour after the fire was extinguished, crews were still hosing down the charred hillside.
“We’ve started putting hose lines away, but we’re going to leave one hose line out and just make sure that we’re good,” Peacock said. “Everything is hot and dry today, so we’ll just make sure it’s all out before we leave.”
Peacock said he was glad the blaze was stopped before reaching any structures, vehicles or valuable property.
“That’s the best way to have it,” he said. “It’s just some weeds and some shrubs that were burned. A fence was charred a little bit. But it’s a lot better than someone’s house.”
This report is based on preliminary information provided by emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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Scene of a brush fire in a wooded area near 700 N. 400 W., St. George, Utah, June 9, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News Scene of a brush fire in a wooded area near 700 N. 400 W., St. George, Utah, June 9, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News Scene of a brush fire in a wooded area near 700 N. 400 W., St. George, Utah, June 9, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News Scene of a brush fire in a wooded area near 700 N. 400 W., St. George, Utah, June 9, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News Scene of a brush fire in a wooded area near 700 N. 400 W., St. George, Utah, June 9, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News Scene of a brush fire in a wooded area near 700 N. 400 W., St. George, Utah, June 9, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News Firefighters at the scene of a brush fire in a wooded area near 700 N. 400 W., St. George, Utah, June 9, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News Firefighters put away hoses at the scene of a brush fire in a wooded area near 700 N. 400 W., St. George, Utah, June 9, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
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