ST. GEORGE — Fire departments in Southern Utah, Littlefield, Arizona and Mesquite, Nevada responded to a total of 35 fireworks-related fires of varying size and severity Monday night. In this 2020 file photo for illustrative purposes only a fire burns on Black Hill in St. George, Utah, July 4, 2020 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News St. George City Fire Chief Robert Stocker told St. 7 am on Tuesday morning. Three fire departments also provided support to crews in St. George, including Enterprise Fire Department, Dammeron Valley Fire and Rescue and Diamond Valley Fire Department. Nineteen of the reported fires were primarily residential tree and landscaping fires ignited by fireworks, he said. Three of the reported fires involved larger fires, one of which was a blaze reported on River Road that was likely started by a skylight, Stoker said, adding that several witnesses reported seeing the skylight go up near Tamarisk Drive in the area Bloomington Hills then drift to River Road where it caught fire on the hill. Another of the larger fires was burning near the water tank located on the hill above Interstate 15 near Exit 2, where fire crews found an extensive accumulation of burned fireworks when they arrived, Stoker said. One of the fires involved a car that caught fire when a lit firework fell on it and started burning, he said. Five reported fires were located in dumpsters or dumps. But fortunately, Stocker said, none of the containers were near any of the homes, as is the case when a dumpster is pushed against a structure. In those cases, he said fireworks can smolder for hours before igniting. The heat from the fire is then transferred to the wall, which can ignite the siding and catch the house on fire. Three of the fires were reported as structure fires, Stocker said, which turned out to be fires that started near a structure. View of the fireworks at the 99.9 KONY Country Celebration 4th of July, St. George, Utah, July 4, 2022 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News “No structural damage was reported with these fires,” he added. There appears to have been a sharp increase in the total number of illegal fireworks set off this year, he added, and many of the fires reported were in restricted zones, such as the fire burning near the water tower. He also said there were two crews stationed at KONY Country’s Fourth of July celebration held at Utah Tech University, where two of the fireworks malfunctioned. Instead of firing into the air, they fired to the side, he said, and both went out into the clear, open space that had been set up before the show. In the Santa Clara-Ivins area, the fire department responded to a call about a fire started by a lit firework that was quickly extinguished, according to a message posted on social media by Santa Clara-Ivins Fire and Rescue Tuesday morning . The post added that residents in Santa Clara and Ivins did an “excellent job” of mitigating the dangers associated with fireworks-related flames during Monday’s festivities, while other fire departments were busy across the county. Washington City Fire Chief Dan Cazier said Washington City Fire crews responded to five fires Monday night, including two fires reported in backyards of homes that initially threatened structures because of where they were burning. But those flames were quickly extinguished before they could spread. Two of the five fires were trash fires started by thrown fireworks. Utah Department of Public Safety Fireworks Safety Checklist | Image courtesy of Utah Department of Public Safety, St. George News The fifth was a fire reported near the Washington Township Community Center, where dozens of homes are nearby, Cazier said, but that fire was also quickly extinguished. To the north, Cedar City Fire Chief Mike Phillips said his crews responded to 11 fires started by fireworks, the majority of which were trash fires started by hot fireworks thrown into bins. Years ago, Cedar City created six designated areas in the city for residents to set off fireworks, which was a well-functioning system, Phillips added. Designated areas help limit calls to a specific area that is also free of brush, trees and structures. No major incidents were reported this year, he said, similar to what has been reported throughout Washington County. In Nevada, Mesquite Fire and Rescue crews responded to a total of four fires, said Mesquite Fire and Rescue Capt. Spencer Lewis, adding that three of the flames were arson, while the fourth was a fire that started in a trash can. Lewis also said the fireworks-related numbers were fairly consistent with last year’s totals, adding that two of the flames had already been extinguished by the time crews arrived. In Arizona, the Beaver Dam-Littlefield Fire District responded to zero fires related to fireworks, said Battalion Chief Andre Ojeda with the Beaver Dam-Littlefield Fire District. “We had a quiet Fourth of July – thank God,” he added. The battalion chief said crews responded to what was initially reported as a fire off I-15, but when they arrived, they were unable to locate anything burning. With Pioneer Day just around the corner in Southern Utah, Stocker stressed the importance of residents being careful when setting off fireworks by making sure they are lit only in areas away from brush, trees, bushes and houses and not set off in confined areas. He said all used fireworks should be soaked in a bucket of water before being thrown in the trash, and residents should pull trash cans away from their homes before putting any used fireworks inside. He also said heat and high winds increase the risk of fires, including those started by fireworks, so residents should keep an eye on the weather before lighting any fireworks to help reduce the risk of fires starting. For more information on fireworks safety and restrictions, go to the Utah Department of Public Safety. Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved. Cody Blowers grew up in South San Francisco, California. A 2013 graduate of Colorado Technical University, Cody earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in paralegal studies. During her academic studies she discovered that writing is her true passion and is committed to providing reliable, comprehensive news coverage. Cody joined St.
