Officials say blown tire on passing vehicle sparked blaze on shoulder of I-15 in Cedar City

Written by Jeff Richards
June 17, 2024

CEDAR CITY — Firefighters successfully knocked down a blaze that charred approximately three-quarters of an acre of brush and grass along the side of northbound Interstate 15 in Cedar City on Monday afternoon.

Iron County Fire Warden Ryan Riddle examines the apparent point of origin of a brush fire near mile marker 61 on Interstate 15, Cedar City, Utah, June 17, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

The fire appears to have been started by a blown tire on a passing vehicle, Iron County Fire Warden Ryan Riddle told Cedar City News at the scene.

Riddle said the driver of the vehicle didn’t stop afterward.

“The Highway Patrol is looking for them now,” he said.

The incident, which was reported shortly before 4 p.m., happened near mile marker 61, adjacent to where Northfield Road meets 1925 North, also known as Falcon Way.

The flames apparently spread north from their point of origin, reaching but not going past the wire right of way fences located to the east and north of the I-15 roadway.

There were no reported injuries, Riddle said, adding that crews were still mopping up hot spots as of 5 p.m. The vehicle suspected of causing the fire still hasn’t been located, he added.

Local, state and federal fire crews joined in battling the blaze. Responding agencies included Cedar City Fire Department, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Traffic was only minimally impacted by the incident, as most of the trucks and equipment accessed the burned hillside from Northfield Road rather than the interstate.

This report is based on preliminary statements from fire officials and may not contain the full scope of findings. 

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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